Monster In The Fast Lane
by DinoGirl10
Summary: After a misfortune event, Randall finds stranded in a world full of talking cars. Mike, Sulley and Fungus begin to question his strange disappearance to banishment, but the real query is, is if Randall will be able to return home again. Canon.
1. A Boring Old Day?

**Reptile In The Fast Lane**

**Chapter 1: A Boring Old Day?**

Today was turning out to be a normal, miserable old day for a certain Randall Boggs… Nothing out of the ordinary had happened, and Randall wished that he would have a little more action inside his life. Everything just seemed to revolve around work, work and work! Yeah sure… he had to work because he had to eat, he just wished it would be a little more interesting sometimes. Huh, even as in interesting he would like the world to be announced doomed or a volcano would explode.

'Like if that would ever happen…' he thought gloomily to himself. Truth be told, he'd even do the extreme and MAKE something happen! As he strolled lazily along the concrete path to the looming Monsters Incorporated factory. His stubby toes made the usual pitter-patter as all four of his limb segments moved in an odd pattern. His hands lay almost discarded against his cord body with his fingers giving the little twitch if needed at all. His eyes lay fixed upon the scenery in front of his path while his fronds bounced casually up and down on his head from his movements. Even his tail just swayed boringly side to side. Yep, nothing was out of the ordinary about the reptile himself. Stopping at the curb line of the fine walkway, he turned to the side and forced the button to alert the light signals down and waited impatiently.

"What's taking so long?" He muttered intolerantly while crossing his arms awkwardly and tapping one foot on the ground. Everything was just trying to get on his nerves today. Its not like anything was doing it especially because Randall was stressed out, it was just his sense of timing was not that accurate, due to his lack of consciousness to the world around him. The illuminated 'Don't Stalk' sign above his ratio of vision glowed attractively and if Randall were paying attention to it, he would have almost been traumatized by its distinctive hypnotism. Finally, the repeated light retreated and the 'Stalk' sign finally relieved its distant cousin from its job. Much to his relief, Randall continued forward on his relatively simple but depressing journey to the factory. He began to study the most common of objects around him. The graffiti covered bus station, which happened to have sprawled across it a very vulgar swear word, was an appalling sight. It was falling apart as it is and didn't need yobs pushing it into more misery. Not many people were using many of the free transport services around the place anymore since purchases of cars were much more common than before.

'Now there is a fine contraption. Something worth inventing.' Randall thought to himself, knowing he himself was correct. He almost thought the whole idea of a moving structure meant to carry a number of sized passengers was phenomenal and an invitation to what these inventors could really pull out of the hat. Randall's great love of mechanical machines and vehicles really got the best out of him at times. If people would take more interest in talking about the dynamics of an aeroplane, perhaps they could take away most of Randall's arrogant attitude and at least have a very decent and nice conversation with him, but sadly, not many people at Monsters Incorporated shared his own love.

Almost tripping over an out struck pavement block, Randall found himself back in the realms of reality. He silently cursed the outranged builder who the main council of Monstropolis had chosen to arrange this path. Ok, at least they had mostly succeeded in the placement of the other blocks… It was just Randall's own misfortune that he had happened to stumble upon that one particular slate. Anyway, that wouldn't matter to him anymore as he had finally arrived at his outcome destination. The colossal factory laid a large shadow over the many buildings and the outstretched car park around its mighty birth land. Randall could almost hear the constant shrill of screams in the background landscape. Closing his slit eyes and taking a gulping sigh of fresh monster world air, he strutted forward with pride towards his soul workplace. He had so many memories with this place and he couldn't get over them all at once… Some were pleasant memories. Others were not so nice and difficult to talk about. Randall shivered at the mere thought of all of the embarrassing times and hoped that none of his colleagues still remembered any of those, eh, 'incidents'. He began to weave his way in and out between the different sized vehicles parked in the perfectly painted spaces. The boss didn't waste any time in ordering some of the BEST painters in the whole dimension! Randall growled suddenly as all of this weaving business was giving him a headache. Why did all of the extremely big monsters own cars? Why oh why… Finally exiting the labyrinth of vehicles, he moved towards the shiny metallic doors, which would lead to the main lobby of the biggest producer of power in the country. Randall thought it was a nice effect to have a lot of palm trees situated along the lines. Added a bit of superiority to the building and, to his surprise, a sense of calmness, like it was getting you ready for the biggest shock of your life. Well, Randall would hardly call it a 'shock'. Perhaps he was just too used to the setting, since he had already been working here for four years!

Grasping the cold steel in his chubby hands, Randall opened the door and was nearly overwhelmed by the flood of monsters just inside the door. He was stuck inside by force from a passer buyer who had happened to get their flailing limb stuck on his belly. Randall grunted with surprise and called after the ignorant fool.

"Watch where you're going idiot!" He shouted threatingly. Of course he was completely unheard inside the bustling crowd who were chattering in a busting repeat of noise. Randall headed to the side of the room quickly and waited a few seconds to let the room finally calm itself down. This was again, a usual welcome for him. Only the odd one passing person shouted a quick hi before continuing on his or her route. Its like nobody seemed to care about the certain lizard monster and that they would be better of if he weren't even there to bother them. Randall decided to think nothing of the sort and proceeded to walk towards the Men's Locker rooms to get ready for the days quota. He just hoped that by wouldn't notice him…

"Hey Randall!" A shrilly voice flung itself into his tiny ears. Randall grimaced, not facing the figure that had decided to chat to him and turned swiftly around in a whir of lilac scales. He knew EXACTLY who this was. Celia Mae. Randall faked a warm smile towards her and paced over to the grey reception desk. The sight that greeted him was the sheer amount of phones that were stationed only a few centimetres apart from each other. Celia's one eye seemed to flutter before him and Randall cleared his throat as if to answer her call.

"I just wanted to say that Fungus asked me to give you this!" She continued on, oblivious to his hidden scowl. Her snakes seemed to nod in agreement with her speech and squeaked along. Celia then revealed a squarely set white envelope before Randall's very own sparkling, emerald eyes. This was not what Randall had been expecting and he raised an imaginary eyebrow.

"THIS is for me?" He asked questionably, not wanting to take the wrong packaging if it was meant for another monster. Celia looked a little offended by his sudden question.

"Uh, I'd think I would know if Fungus said RANDALL." She emphasised bravely. She did have a point… as annoying as Fungus was, he wouldn't get the slightest calculation wrong. He was really my very own personal brain box if he had to be. Celia then handed the fine piece of paper out to me. I gradually leaned forward to take it.

"Well take it then!" She struck out, getting inpatient with me.

"Alright, alright lady! Take it easy!" Randall protested back. He then took it from the palm of her tentacles and looked at it suspiciously, hanging it out in front of him with one hand like it was infected with disease. A look of disgust slowly crossed his face and Celia huffed out and folded her arms.

"Are you going to open it or what?" Celia enquired, obviously curious as to what I had received. Randall's expression turned into a look of control and glared at her with one eye further open than the other. He grinned playfully and turned his back to her, clutching the envelope to his chest.

"I'm not sure I want too…" He beamed, nearly chuckling at his antics. Celia looked at him with a tired expression, not wanting to laugh at his stupid jokes. Randall turned back round and opened his arms out innocently with his mouth agape.

"Alright, alright! If that's what you want already…" He joked with a short chortle. He then eyed the paper carefully and began to slowly tear the letter open. His fronds began to lay back closer to his head in concentration. Eventually opening the slit so he could pull the object from within, a puzzled expression came across his face. What the heck was it?

"Well?" Celia asked hopefully. Randall didn't say anything, but without giving a single blink, pulled the substance out of the paper. His expression was defiantly memorable as his eyes widened out wide and his mouth fell agape, leaving a slithery tongue to fall slowly out.

Fungus had sent him a birthday card…

'Happy Birthday' was noticeably spread across the length of the cardboard. Below the yellow and red funny coloured lettering was a picture of a giant cake with blue icing and yellow crusts that seemed to stick right out of the very page. If the front was embarrassing enough, the entry on the inside was much more worse… As soon as the card was opened fully, an annoying tune floated out of the inside and echoed around the giant room. It was to be identified as the disturbing 'Birthday song'. On the insert was a neatly written note saying:

_To Randall_

_From Fungus_

As soon as Celia heard the noise, she knew instantly what Randall had been expecting. Her eye widened in shock that Randall had not mentioned this anytime sooner, even though he had only just entered the building.

"Its your birthday?" She managed to squeak out before pulling a beaming smile of congratulations. Randall looked up from being sucked into the card and a look of denial spread across his muzzle.

"What? No!" He rejected, his eyes turning again back into slits. "Well, not yet anyway…" Celia's eye became a look of confusion.

"What do you mean not yet?" She stated confidently. "Its either it is or it isn't! There is no 'not yet' about it." Randall spoke again almost instantly after she had finished.

"Well, it's not my birthday until two days from now." He retorted simply. He than began to flick the tip of his tail limb back and forth in an agitated stance. Suddenly, he heard a voice that was one of the voices he was expecting the _least _to hear from, for it was one of his archenemies.

"Whose birthday is it?" Questioned a very confused Mike Wazowski. The eyeball was stumbling slowly up to the desk with his pompous fur rug of a friend close on his, well um, body.

"Yeah!" Sullivan spoke up cheerfully. "Who's in need for the celebrations." A giant grin spread across his fur covered face and he looked down upon the rest of the short monsters around him. Randall looked away from the boastful pair and pretended that he wasn't there. Gosh, he wished that he cold materialise, but it would be too predictable from him. He decided to let Celia do the explaining instead of himself.

"Hey Googley Bear!" She almost screamed in utter delight. "It's supposedly Randall's birthday soon." Randall then bit his bottom lip, careful not to make himself begin to bleed by his pearl white fangs, but this made him feel more comfortable. Mike's face turned into a expression of glee and his eyelid closed halfway down. He leaned his arm against the side of the large plank of wood and eyed Randall down with a grin.

"It is huh?" He drawled out sarcastically. Just typical Mike… always boasting off even though it was close to Randall's very own special day. "And how old will the boy be?" He continued on suddenly, drawing Randall's arrogant attention. He turned around in a blast and loomed over Mike, showing his true height.

"I'll be younger than you, that is." He pointed out, giving his very own trademark grin. Mike began to look very bored and yawned inappropriately to the side.

"At least I've had more experience than you Randall." He smirked at Randall's predictable scowl. Mike then snatched the card boisterously out of his very palm and opened it up to hear the irritating music.

"Aww Randall… Fungus does have a heart for you." He tauntingly cheered. Randall almost felt his scales blend into a deep red colour, although in reality, he was blushing on his purple, fleshy cheeks. The embarrassment suddenly left his face and he took the card instantly back, snapping it shut in disregard.

"Can it Wazowski!" He dared, showing his teeth and pointing a very dangerous finger towards the smaller figure. Sulley then decided to contrast the situation because he had just been sidestepping an encounter with his nemesis, but because it was close to the one enjoyment that Randall had only to care most about for the year, he decided to show his gratitude towards the lizard monster.

"Well, congratulations Randall! Hope you have a nice birthday." He emitted in a happy sounding tone. It seemed extremely twisted to Randall who spoke disrespectfully back.

"Thanks but I don't want any admirers." He replied venomously, waving a plain hand at him like he was a servant begging for food. Sullivan's expression turned into a look of shock, which faded into disappointment.

"Oh, well ok. I'll be here if you need me." He smiled once again at his 'opponent'. Randall's eyes widened and he looked back angrily.

"Huh!" He puffed out ferociously. "Like you've never been before, why now?"

"Alright, alright!" Celia nervously commented, waving her arms. She was the definite peacemaker of our little group. "That's enough… ALL of you!" Mike's one eye flung open with such force he nearly fell over from the impact.

"But Celia, he's the one who…" Celia's glare that said 'if looks could kill, you'd be dead by now' silenced him off. He crossed both of his arms obscurely and looked like a child that had just been denied ice cream. Randall tried to snort in laughter, watching the ridiculous scene of Celia pretending to be Wazowksi's mother play out. He then discovered that most of the other scarers and assistants in the room were watching them all closely and to break the inconceivable pause between them all, he shouted back out to them all.

"What are you all looking at, huh?" Everybody then immediately turned back into what they were doing, whether that be running off to the scare floor or having a nice little conversation with a neighbour… or really just whatever the hell they were doing in the first place. Randall gave a massive sigh of the uncomforting dilemma and ran a straight hand through his fronds, making them scatter in all directions across his broad head. His blank face suddenly turned into an evil like array of teeth.

"Well, I'm sorry to spoil all of your moments here, but I've gotta get going now. You know how it is with the scaring and all." He spoke confident and with the truth, something that people believed was rare with this species of monster. Since it was by the fact that 'serpents' were incredibly sly and not someone who is trustworthy. Randall then started to advance backwards, his feet seemingly criss crossing each other. His smile then disappeared and some sort of hate appeared.

"See you both on the scare floor." He said darkly, and with a swish of his scales bristling in the breeze he created, Randall was racing down the corridor towards the locker rooms. The three remaining crew looked after him, watching him disappear around a bend. The tense situation was broken by another stupid and brainless comment.

"So, what was that all about?" Wazowski asked curiously. The rest of the monsters just rolled their eyes, Sulley especially. A look of innocence crossed his face like Mike didn't have a clue what was going on.

"What?"

* * *

In the pale environment of the locker rooms was the agitated figurine of Randall Boggs, who was looking straight inside his very own personal locker. He was looking, almost in a trance, at the birthday card he had received only a few minutes ago. Truth be told, he had actually forgotten that it was his birthday in two days, but of course had rung the memory bell after opening the card. But the thing he wondered was why would Fungus even bother with a birthday card? It was unlike him to show any type of admiration towards him. He just blabbered on and that was it right? Is that all he did? Or did he really care about what had happened to the lizard monster everybody knows? So many questions were buzzing through his considerably intelligent brain… and he knew that most of them would not be answered because secretly, he didn't have the guts to ask Fungus any such thing. He actually hardly even knew any personal details about his very own assistant! He didn't know where he lived, if he had any kids or not. He didn't even know his age! Gosh, all he knew is that he was like a very irritating bug that would not go away. Is that all he really thought of the only persona he would consider being a friend? Or maybe even a friend at all? Yes of course… He had to be. Randall had no other friends at all. He reasoned himself as too arrogant to make anybody like him, but that was Randall's natural nature with people, so could you _really _blame him for something like that? The thoughts were replaying themselves over and over again inside his mind like clockwork and Randall decided to try and shake it off. Placing the card upright on the inside of his tight, dark locker, he slammed the door shut and shifted the dial to make sure nobody could re enter it.

"Happy Birthday." Mumbled a sudden voice, bouncing off the small tight walls of the room. Randall's fronds perked up at the obliviously hidden person. His eyes narrowed and he looked around to try and find the intruder in his own private conscious thoughts.

"Hmm?" He asked in a small voice, trying not to panic at the intrusion. This time, he caught the monster that had said it to him. The mint coloured monster rounded the corner of the stacks upon stacks of lockers, shifting his stumpy tentacles about the ground to move. He recognised who it was instantly and relaxed his previously tense muscles. It was Charlie, George's assistant who happened to work right next to me in the station next door. His classic Monsters Incorporated helmet moved swiftly around his head, clanging in the stalks that held his eyes.

"I said, Happy Birthday." Charlie repeated, still moving slowly up to Randall. He finally stopped about a metre in front of the lizard monster and gazed up at his round eyes. Inside his head, Charlie was thinking if anyone in this entire building had took a notice to particular details of Randall, whether that would be his nature or just his mood. He would think that people would definatly notice his 'mood', since he was profound for having a 'bad attitude' towards other people, but he wondered if anybody else had even cared to notice 'little details' about Randall and not his more noticeable features? Probably not, since his behaviour is not exactly inviting you to speak with him with open arms. But this little chat was beginning to turn out ok.

"Oh." Randall replied finally. He proceeded to lean up against the locker, twisting his body this and that to get into a suitable position to talk and lie half down. "You heard?" He continued in a cocky form. Charlie huffed out in a sincere way.

"Who wouldn't? You were shouting like a train engine." A chuckle entered Randall's throat, but he managed to hold it down enough to let a single 'ha' escape his mouth. Wanting to change the subject, Randall brought up another conversation.

"So, uh…" He reached around with one of his arms and scratched a small itch on his vertebrae. "How is Georgie doing then?" He asked with a little interest. He wanted to keep this going for a little while… perhaps this might turn out a little subtler than his last conversation that was so rudely interrupted. Charlie's face turned into a grateful grin and he began to ponder about George's performance.

"Oh, he's doing fine. He's been having his fur grow back for a while now." He laughed, knowing of George's many decontaminations. Yep, he had so many; you couldn't remember the total amount. Maybe he was just the natural clumsy monster. I smirked too, but didn't laugh as hard as Charlie was. This was actually, nice… a conversation which didn't include mechanical influences that I was actually enjoying. Anyway it is nice to get to know your neighbours, even if it isn't the proper definition. Without warning, Charlie suddenly did a massive gasp, finally realising what time it was.

"Oh my gosh! I should be out on the scare floor." His tentacles clasped over his mouth as he raced to get out of the room. "I'm sorry Randall, but like they say, duty calls!" He called back to the lizard monster, frowning gently at him.

"Well, I think I'd better be going too then." Randall replied attentively, knowing that he was right. "But Charlie…" he hollered for a second, watching as the sprinting monster turned around. And at that moment, Randall said something he thought he would never say to any other monster besides his self…

"Thank you." He smiled warmly towards him, showing that he truly meant what he said. Charlie frowned again, wondering what he had deserved for such a nice reply.

"For what?" He asked muddled. Randall looked straight into the beams of Charlie's absorbing sea blue eyes.

"For one of the most decent conversations I've had in a long, LONG time." Randall emphasized long irresistibly because it was certainly true. He hadn't had the chance to even TALK to somebody for a long time. For the last time, Charlie smiled before finally exiting the room with the slam of the locker rooms entrance door.

_Maybe this day isn't so boring after all?_


	2. Eavesdropping

**Chapter 2: Eavesdropping**

For that darn morning that started with so much potential was turning out to be just another awful day when Randall had arrived on the scarefloor to do his daily quota. Of course 'all' of the monsters in MI had work expectancy, and you'd be in a spot of trouble if you didn't get any done. Our lizard friend though, is not like that at all… he'll get all of his work done, even if it takes out all of his energy. He's not a failure, give you that he's working his tail off most of the day. When he was trying to recharge his old batteries, he would lean carelessly against the side of his desk and if almost superstitiously, he was doing this at this single moment.

Randall looked at the madness all around him of scarers entering and exiting different coloured closet doors in a rhythmic pattern. It was just standard procedure to them, but since he wasn't one for being the ordinary, Randall could pick out the tiny beat in the stomps and wriggles of tentacles and feet. He began to tap is three toed foot in time and was nodding his head to every note. Unexpectedly after that short moment of calmness and tempo, he felt a sudden sharp, shoot of pain begin to make its way up the side of his arm. He had gone into such a daydream that he had forgotten about his surroundings and the incompetent fool who was making this pain feel so bad.

"What the…?" He exclaimed in a startled outburst. Randall pulled away from the stack of paperwork and the sheets of notes to find the same green bowling ball that he had been trying to get away from since earlier that very day. Randall's face curved into a growling standoff as he dared to ask what this eyeball thought he was doing to him.

"What the heck are you doing?" He gritted ferociously. Mike appeared surprisingly on the go with his threat and smiled victoriously, knowing that Randall would probably not know why he was doing this unacceptable behaviour.

"Why Randall… I thought you'd know!" He drawled sarcastically, faking a surprised look. "It is your birthday and all…" Randall growled from the depths of his vocal cords and glared death daggers that said 'if look could kill, you'd be gone by now'. But he had to admit in his head that Wazowski was true, making himself mentally kick his brain… He just thought that he didn't deserve this kind of treatment and that was not because it was his birthday coming up. It was because he treated every day as an adventure for something new, and he hated being treated like this anyway. The silent treatment was defiantly dawning the new information on Mike, so he began to explain his theory.

"Well, your birthday beats of course! Everybody knows that you're supposed to receive them on your birthday." He pointed this out with immense drag. Was he really trying to make Randall want to kill him? After more tense silence, Mike asked a daring question to the lizard monster.

"How old will you be then?" It was casual but offending. Randall finally snapped, giving a fuming reply.

"THAT IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" He stuck out a horrific finger towards the eyeball, baring his fangs once again. How the heck could he ask such a thing? Didn't he have any manners at all? It was, of course, very _rude _to ask somebody their age when their birthday is coming up. But what Randall didn't understand was that it was 'all part of the plan'. Mike frowned a fake hurt expression before continuing his speech.

"Well, if you KNEW that I NEED to know how OLD you are to know how many BEATS you NEED, hmm?" He stated with emphasised words. Randall's fronds raised high a little more and his eyes and mouth dropped into a carefree expression, his face muscles having time to relax for a moment. But, it wasn't Randall who would answer that thrown question.

"He'll be 25." Piped up a small, nervous voice from the back seat row. That struck a chord so he turned around so fast his fronds nearly flew off his head! It was Fungus who had so in doubt said the comment. He immediately regretted it as he received an angry glance from the lizard monster. His face fell into a scared look as his chicken feet began to tremble and he cowered behind the folder he was holding, feeling more protected from Randall's harmful eyes.

"Ahh…" Mike confirmed his new source of information. "Well, that's 25 beats for you then." And so… Mike continued to punch blows to Randall. Not too hard, but hard enough to feel a slight numbness in his arm. Randall just stood there with a bored expression, not making one eye movement to take his vision off of his assistant. After Mike had finally finished giving his beats for the day, he finally sauntered off, but not before he gave a final: "Consider your debt settled."

There was a final moments peace before Randall stomped his way up to the frightened figure of Fungus. The brims of his glasses were colliding with the top of his hard hat, making an annoying clattering noise that repeated itself on and on. Fungus then decided to 'try' and stick up for himself.

"I, I, I'm sssorry sssir." He stammered with a look of fear across his body. Randall tended to his hurting arm, squeezing the flesh up and down to see if anything was bruised. Nope, nothing was severe of course, but a bruise MAY appear later on. That's all our lizard monster needs… Randall sighed a deep heartfelt sigh to relieve himself of his worries.

"That's ok Fungus… just PLEASE lay off on me." Randall justified the situation, making Fungus stop trembling. Sometimes it looked like he was afraid of his own blooming shadow. Luck had begun to come on their side, as the previously listening monsters were delving back into their work.

"Hey, new door Fungus?" He jerked suddenly, making Fungus come out of his staring.

"Oh yes!" He shouted. "The door! Right I'll get it!" He ran off towards the ridiculous pile of files, shimmering through them all. Almost as if his memory had recalled, Randall remembered seeing one file flung on the floor a few minutes back. I slithered down onto all eight limbs, retrieving the lost document.

"Uhh, Fungus, I think you dropped this?" Randall held out the folder to the red monster and he was taken back.

"Oh thank you Randall." He collected the file from Randall's palms and strutted over to the stations control panel, swiping the newly found file key card in the device like a cash register. The door was immediately heard coming trundling along the roller coaster like track before being picked up by the mechanical door collecting device, lowering it down to the ground level. Fungus instantly pushed the 'FITZ' button to link the two very different domains together.

Inhaling and exhaling a deep breath, Randall charged through the door and was invited by the glowing moonlight around him. The room appeared surprisingly clean, unlike a normal two year old or three year old, but never the less the age of the child in a deep REM sleep, Randall intended to get the job done. He materialised into the creamy carpet and slithered his way up towards the bed. But suddenly, a strange inkling passed through the courses of Randall's skin and a chill made its way up his long spine. It was like… somebody was watching him. He turned around slowly, still disguised in his amazing invisibility cloak that he was born with. There in the corner of the room, was a glass tank, lit by a single lamp lying within. It confused him to think that their had to be SOMETHING in that quite large tank. It looked awfully tropical as he moved closer and he could almost feel the heat being given off. He peered mysteriously inside, hoping to see what lied in the boundaries of this glass. Scanning his eyes around, he… flew backwards in fright, but he didn't emit one sound. The small creature was actually stuck to the glass wall on the inside. It was a very peculiar sight indeed to Randall. He went back in for a closer look, studying this 'thing' with care. What Randall hadn't noticed, is that he was slowly becoming visible due to his lack of concentration in the midst of the room. He stared at the creature from all angles possible. It looked just like… him. Truth be told, this creature was what is known as a 'Leopard Gecko' in human speech, but of course, Randall knew nothing of the sort. He was surprised to see that a creature of this shape and abilities was living 'HERE' in the human's world. He actually felt inclined to take the small reptile back with him, to see where it really belonged. Randall looked at his fingers, which were nearly an exact match to the small feet of the Gecko, stuck to the panes. This was a very interesting find and Randall wanted to know more… but to his conscious, 'more' was just not what was expected from him.

"Who's there?" Asked a tiny shrilly voice from behind. Randall's fronds shot straight up into the air like a rocket about to take off and his eyes become large windows. He turned with nothing to shake a stick at to see a small girl sitting up in bed, rubbing the small pieces of sleep out of her eyes. She was a blonde child with brilliant hazel eyes, but these features were not so noticeable in the blackness hanging in the area. She could defiantly see a figure of some large thing standing in the corner of the room. After Randall had turned, she identified him as a type of reptile. Her face beamed into a smile of delight. "What are you doing here?" she questioned uncontrollably. Randall's urge and instinct to flee was overpowering, so he made a dash for the closet door. He opened it with all of his strength, curving his body round hidden alleys and made a leap out of the room. His last hearing of the child was a "No wait!" as he closed the threatening door behind him. He was greeted by the puzzled look of Fungus who wondered why he looked so… frightened? Randall dove for the 'FITZ' button, immediately cutting the link between the two dimensions. He breathed a short sigh of relief before turning to Fungus.

"I think you had the wrong door, _pal_." He spat towards him. Fungus looked completely dumbfounded.

"Me, well I was given the correct key cards?" He protested, hopefully trying to get on Randall's good side. The thoughts were going round in Randall's head that Roz _may _have confused some of the paperwork… probably harmless like that, but something was defiantly telling Randall he wasn't supposed to have gone through that same door. An intriguing expression came across Fungus. "Ok what happened?" Randall breathed in and took a deep breath to calm his pulsating heart.

"It doesn't matter… just get another door." Fungus just stood there as Randall gave out his very own boring reply. He turned in a flash like a lightening bolt to face his assistant and bellowed: "NOW!"

* * *

Work dragged on for the rest of the morning. Apart from Randall's unusual encounter with one of the strangest doors in the factory, things were pretty normal. Although Randall could hardly call this 'a boring old day' anymore, the weather outside was thinking otherwise… In the midst of the total mumbling of the doors moving around, the shrieks from every door and the sound of the canisters filling up, there was the brief thunderclap and the flash of lighting outside. This made the scare floor appear very gloomy and almost creepy. The rain hit the windows overlooking the floor like a boxing glove match was taking place. The small patterns that the dew droplets of water were making made it look like the building was weeping and crying at the harsh climate. This was making all of the monsters inside the room, away from the rain; depressed like the constant raining would never cease. The weather was not daunting on Randall though… his concentration on getting his numbers high on the scare board was paying off. He was only around 100 points away from Sulley, who seemed to be slacking off every couple of minutes.

After working full throttle for what seemed like an eternity, the lunch bell finally rang to signify the break period of half an hour. Randall was sipping generously on my cup of coffee that Fungus had so 'gratefully' conjured up for him. Yes, Fungus did know the lizard monsters great love for the caffeine-loaded drink. It helped to stimulate his scaring more. After unleashing a relieved 'ahh' from the warm, sweet tasting liquid running down his throat, Randall made off towards the scare floors exit. Today he changed his usual patterns for lunch by heading towards the cafeteria instead of the main lobby. He wasn't planning on getting soaked to the bone just to have some lunch at his favourite café, The Hidden City Café. Although it was kind of taunting…

For most of the time he'd been at Monsters Incorporated, Randall had avoided going inside the café, due to their serving of 'mystery meat'. Not that their was anything bad about this meal, it was just he liked to know what he was eating and that it was pleasant enough to not just throw it back up. He also wasn't particularly sure on how clean the preparation environment was either. If it's not a clean kitchen, then you don't have clean food. It made him shiver to think of lack of hygiene. Well here he was, facing his obnoxious fear and having a well-deserved meal in the Monsters Inc. cafeteria.

As he reached the entrance to the place, it looked actually inviting to step inside. The metallic letters shone the words 'cafeteria' above the double-sided doors. Pushing them open, Randall was met by the giant queue for food inside.

'This is going to take a while…' he thought gingerly to himself. Instead of moping around like some scowling monsters that just fumed at the queue, he moved into the line and started to wait. It actually didn't take as long as the lizard monster had expected. Everybody had eventually got served and was settling down for a peaceful lunch. Today's lunch was actually very satisfying. It included a healthy option of Centipede Salad, which Randall avoided because of his carnivorous nature. He chooses the traditional method with a large rump of a Gorgan, creamy mashed onions and rodent kidneys. As Randall tucked in heavily to his satisfying meal on a solitary table, he noticed that Bob Peterson was trotting over to his own table. Not wanting to chat while he ate, he continued on, pretending to ignore the now sitting figure of 'Gums'. Yep, that's his nickname for him here. Bob proceeded to clear his throat loudly, making Randall's eyes revolve around to his face curiously. He spoke with difficulty, since he didn't actually have his removable teeth in at that moment.

"Happy Birthday." He managed to blabber out with pronunciation difficulties. Randall looked at him bored but didn't utter a word. Bob smiled back while trying to chew his food, showing bits sticking out of his mouth. Randall looked away with disgust and let his tongue slip out in a rude gesture of dislike. He couldn't stand the sigh of saliva-infested food inside a certain person's mouth. It was a stomach turning sight indeed… In a flash, he turned back and gave a cold, hard stare at Bob straight in his large pupils.

"ONE! It's not my birthday until Friday. TWO! Its disgusting to talk with you mouth full!" He shouted back, not daring to change his opinion, as he was the one in the right zone. Bob just ignored his outbursts and continued to bite down on his fresh salad. Randall picked up his carton of slime and began to slurp pleasurably on the straw, letting the liquid finally enter his mouth. All of the other monsters stopped eating almost instantly and turned to face the monster with no apprehensive manners. Randall stopped drinking and looked around like a puppy dog, wondering why everybody was staring at him in such a way.

"What? Hey, get back to eating!" He displayed a look of annoyance and irritation, before all of the rest of the monsters shrugged considerably and turned back to finish their meals. For the next few minutes, all that was heard was the loud chomping of mouths. Randall had finally finished his delving meal and was quite impressed by the quality of food. He wondered even if he could ask for the recipe and tries it out at home, since he had hadn't been cooking for a long time. Just living off those horrible take away meals that you order over the phone. He wouldn't do this yet though… to predictable. Randall's speciality is doing what people do not expect of him. So, off he went out of the nice cafeteria, making a mental note to come back here tomorrow.

From that escapade, Randall decided to take a short walk around the factory to stretch his legs before heading back to the scare floor. The soft, coated corridors welcomed you to head down them into the silent offices nearby. Apart from the cafeteria, the rest of the building was indeed silent. You cold honestly almost hear a pin drop. This was strange, since Randall was so used to the hustle and bustle. The small drops of his feet were some of the only sounds heard. He stopped abruptly and leaned his back up against one of the beech wooden office doors. He let his body slowly drop to slump on the ground. Confidently, he cracked his knuckles together and enjoyed the surroundings. A flicker broke him from his trance as he looked above to see a flickering light.

'Looks like a new change of light bulbs needed.' Randall thought oddly. A simple thing to think about. He would actually gladly do the job himself as the constant turns of off and on were starting to annoy him completely. Feeling exhausted, Randall's head started to bob up and down from nearly falling asleep to waking himself up. All of that work was defiantly paying off, and by the fact that he had just had a pretty nice dinner and it was warm in here. His eyes started to close ever so slowly and Randall was trying ever so hard to stay in the waking world and not drift off to dream land with sugar coated candy canes and sprinkled chocolate cakes. Huh, if that's the way you picture dreamland that is… He was almost fully asleep.

Taken aback, Randall's eyes shot open at the sounds of voices coming down the hallway. He couldn't be spotted here. They would think certain horrible 'things' about why he would come down the corridor on his own. He disappeared, blending into the concrete paved walls. That's when he saw them. The three recognisable features of Henry J. Waternoose III with Needleman and Smitty, the two 'geeks' who run the door shredding machine. They shifted themselves into one of the empty offices and started speaking to each other. Randall could make out the voices as clear as a crystal glass of water.

"You're going to need to destroy the door soon. It's too risky to be keeping it in our facility." Waternoose explained with a straightforward voice.

'What door?' Randall thought intently to himself… what door could possibly 'that risky' that it need be destroyed this very second. This was all very… well; Randall thought the word was telling the truth… suspicious. But of course, the reptile himself was kind of a bad eavesdropper. Randall smiled inside his head at the thought and continued to listen with open ears.

"Boss, do we have to? I mean it's like a marvel." Needleman replied in his very wobbly voice. A marvel? What could he possibly mean a door being a marvel? Randall had never heard of a door being very fantastic or life changing by the start, but mostly, those pair did a lot of the background stuff at Monsters Incorporated.

"The manufacture insisted that it needs to be rid of, although I see no reason why such an incredible piece of architecture and achievement need be destroyed. But…" Waternoose sighed after his long-winded speech. "… Rules are rules I'm afraid. Just make sure you get it done." Waternoose exited in his slow crabby style and passed around the corridors. Smitty spoke up for the first time.

"We'll get it done tomorrow. The boss won't find out." He squeaked, having difficulty with some of his words due to his large braces. They both came out of the room and crawled/walked off towards the lobby. Randall made sure that anybody around the area was completely gone to finally let himself be revealed into the world once again. He ran a slow hand through his fronds, making them scatter as usual. Randall had surely NEVER heard of a door to be made THIS important. To be honest, in THIS place, doors were to common to comprehend on the importantness level, but this one, this DOOR they were speaking of, seemed to be superior to the rest. Suddenly a thought dawned upon the lizard monster… could their be a different world to the humans? Maybe that's why this DOOR was so important to be destroyed, so that the world could never be known to all of monster kind. Randall found that stupid… everybody should know about a new dimension. It's like trying to keep the planets away from your view. He huffed and decided to go against better instincts and take a look inside the 'supposedly' empty office block. He slowly stepped inside, back hunched in a posture ready to pounce. To his surprise, there was actually A door inside. It might even be THE door they were talking about just now. Randall raised an invisible eyebrow at the sight of the yellow and white panelled door and moved in closer for a better look. He studied it very carefully, lifting out his hand to touch the soft wood. The door was already connected to a spare station, but the red light showing the link was yet to arrive. Feeling the rough material in his palms, he tried to imagine what might lurk beyond the boundaries of this very door. It sounded exciting to go and have a look. Maybe he could take a quick peek and be back in a jiffy.

"The sign said STAY OUT." A grandfatherly like voice bounced between the open spaces. Randall flung around, fronds high in shock to find Waternoose staring back at him in the doorway.

"You are not to say a word about this door, not a sound soul." He growled towards the reptilian monster, his crabby skin making the ear shattering creaking noises. Randall backed away from the advancing monster to find the door behind him again. Suddenly, the loud bell sounded its repeating note over and over to signify that the afternoon work shift had begun. Randall looked over his shoulder to see the light streaming in from the hall. Just in luck…

"Get back to work." Waternoose growled. Randall did not hesitation as he bounded back down the chambers towards the scare floor. Yeah sure, he was still very curious about that door, but he didn't need Waternoose up his ally after him. He took his word into account though and made sure that he wouldn't speak of this again. But of course, the door played on his mind.

"I'll find out what's going on, no matter what." Randall spoke courageously, lifting his snout high_. And by golly he would_...


	3. Curiosity Killed The Cat

**Chapter 3: Curiosity Killed The Cat**

To the extent of the full afternoon, Randall had not concentrated as much as his colleagues had begun to get some grip on their scare board placements. Instead of focusing on his fabulously smooth scaring techniques to really make the kids scream, he had thought about his confrontation with Waternoose. Of course, Randall had obeyed his certain rules and had kept his mouth shut. But many of the other scarers on floor F had definatly noticed his change of behaviour. For brief periods of time, he had drifted into a kind of day dreaming state, not blinking properly for several minutes at the most! He just stood motionlessly elbowed on the side of his station, staring at what seemed to be the smoothly poured floor. His tail would give the occasionally flick and twine back and forth around nearby objects like an ivy vine. Fungus, which seemed to be so unlike the Fungus that everybody knew, looked very inpatient and annoyed at his freezing postures. To keep himself busy until Randall demanded a second request, he twiddled with his glass fixtures and skim readied the nearby paperwork. Although it would usually happen just between the scarer and the assistant, even this way of nature was taking its toll on Sulley and Mike who worked busily next door. They gave the apprehensive look and the odd concern, but never really cared that much to say anything so they both just continued on working on building up the blocks of their score. Randall was falling behind pretty fast now and by around 200 points. He just couldn't get his mind off that darn door and was now regretting to have listened in…

Sulley was getting extremely agitated at this point now. He fumbled nervously with his long fingers, the nails clicking together like chalk on a stone slab. After inhaling a deep breath of anxiety, he finally came plodding over to Randall like a squeamish child to find out just what his problem were. This just wasn't like him to be daydreaming like this… and truth be told, he wanted to find out just _why_, because even though he was a sort of enemy too him, he thought that he **did **care. Randall was leaning up against his desk like he had been for probably the last five outstanding minutes.

"Sulley, what are you doing!" Whispered Mike bitterly, eye wide in horror. Sulley held up his hand in a bid for silence. He knew what he was going.

"Uhh… Randall?" He announced in a sickly pitiful voice. "Are you alright?"

Randall's head jerked into a position straight inline with his eyeballs with a bothered expression on his face.

"Huh!" He puffed in a vicious scoff. "Why would you care?" Sulley grimaced back, knowing that Randall would have predictably said that famous line. He had to admit that he hadn't really once cared directly for Randall… in that all he'd done before is ask if he was fine and get a nasty reply back in turn. As if he'd admitted it a long time ago, he obviously **didn't **care too much if he hadn't done anything before.

"I just know theirs something bothering you… everybody does." Sulley strained, trying to find the right words without making Randall burst his seams again.

"Lets get something straight!" Randall hollered, stretching his coiled body out. "I've had things **bothering **me my entire life! I've had things **bothering **me even yesterday! BUT, you've never really seemed to care before, huh? Explain that Sullivan!" He glared at him with death flashing before his face. Sulley cowered away, not looking frightened, but definatly thinking so.

"But Randall… I, I…" Sulley didn't know how to finish that very sentence and looked away to a corner.

"WELL, SPIT IT OUT SULLIVAN!" Randall snarled treacherously. Sulley backed off… knowing very well that the words coming out of his mouth were incredibly stupid and undeniably fake. He'd tried to show a little gratitude to the lizard monster, and had it spat right back in his muzzle. But Randall had been right all along… he didn't really care. Yes, that was the nail on the head.

"See!" Randall pointed out rudely. "You don't give really give a damn about what happens to me! I bet you actually wish I WAS NEVER HERE!" Sulley managed to give it one last try, before gently pacing back over to his station.

"I'm sorry." Sulley explained humanely. Randall finally looked away from his impending and revealing eyes.

"No your not… you never will be." He said finally before standing up straight on his four feet and breathing in a comforting breath of fresh winter air. Sulley hung his head low and sighed deeply.

"Come on pal." Mike comforted. "You don't need **him**." He pulled the string on that one. Sulley looked down to his very best friend in the entire cosmos. He smiled a tiny bit before emitting a low note voice.

"We _all_ do. It's just we don't know it yet…" He stated before heading back towards his work.

For the rest of the afternoon, everybody carried on in a disturbing silence, not even daring to take a peek at what Randall was doing after his sudden outburst with Sulley. Everybody in the room feared his temper, no doubt about that, but they never saw the true monster inside… All that they knew was that he could be an arrogant and vicious piece of work. What kind of an assumption was that? They knew nothing! It was no easier for Randall either as he carried on working hard, knowing that every monster in the room was thinking about him. His heart told him so. He also knew that what people thought of him was unpleasant enough already without him blasting off every second, adding onto the equation. Randall's mind was now finally set off the conversation he had overheard at lunch break and was now focused on pulling his numbers back up. He didn't want any more attention than he already had.

* * *

To the erratic breathing in the room, the loud buzzing bell sounded the end of the days work shift a couple of hours later. Everyone gave a massive well needed exhale of relief. Obscurely, everybody walked confidently out of the room quite relaxed instead of the usual bustling and pushing crowd but why did that matter to the purpose? Randall moved within the huddle, comfortably walking along quite nicely next to some of the favoured and friendly scarers who were actually avoiding him completely. This didn't really matter to him though… Not. One. Bit. He was to preoccupied with just getting home to the homely environment of his confided apartment and just relax for the rest of the evening. Maybe he could watch a bit of T.V or listen to the radio? Whatever the case, Randall had his evening all planned out…

Being completely shattered with his day's workload, he flopped horrendously onto the nearby wooden bench. Suddenly as quick as daylight, the memories flooded back into his brain and he bolted into an upright stance. His eyes became wide membranes, just as he had a couple of hours ago on the scare floor. Randall growled deep in his gut and actually slapped himself around the face!

'Stop it!' He kept on telling himself repeatedly. 'Stop thinking about that damn door! It's none of your business! Just keep that overgrown nose of yours out of it!' His consciousness kept on running on inside of his head, spinning him around in circles. He sure hoped that this would stop soon as this situation was really tiring him out. Suddenly he felt a pair of eyes burn into his cranium and he turned to find a very confused pink monster staring at him with hazel eyes. Randall slithered in a split second over to him and whispered surely into the employee's ear.

"Don't worry. I'm not crazy." He reassured before giving his very own trademark grin and sliding back over to his beloved bench. He watched the monster take off around the corners of the lockers. He had still got it! Boy he was good for being so tired AND still having pulled out a quick giggle in the process. Probably the only amusement he'd have for the day. Footsteps cascading in the air around him, Randall made his way over to the showers. This was a place he would always have the pleasure visiting, just to make him feel totally refreshed and ready for any complication. At this point in time, Randall was glad that he was born reptilian. Most fur-covered monsters would have to brush their fur countless times after their hygiene bar had been refilled. Plus, you'd have to include the knotty hairlines. With scales, you didn't need any of that pruning nonsense. All you had to do was get in between the tiny crooks and crannies and let the water do the rest. Gosh how glad he was that he didn't have to endure any more stress that day.

After finishing his ten minutes of glorious, carefree adrenaline, Randall emerged from the washing area and dried himself off quickly with a spare towel. He had finally noticed that most of the monsters which had crowded most of the space before had departed into the glowing sunset outside, returning home to loving wives, hyperactive room mates and maybe possibly their own adventurous children. It had never once crossed his mind before about the lives of the other employees throughout the factory… to him they seemed to just exist in a working environment, and that was ALL they did in their lives and not have any hobbies or personal interests outside the boundary. Neither had it once appeared in Randall's mind that he could maybe try starting a family up. He had never, once had a girlfriend before and he was mostly intending to stay that way. But hey… What else could a bored reptilian scarer turning 25 in two days think about when left to his own devices?

Shifting casually along the polished floors, Randall made his way towards the main lobby area with its giant mosaique world clutching the walls overhead. It seemed to be that nearly all of the hard workers had returned home… and he was about to do the same. Pushing the doors open, he stood in the small breezy climate of downtown Monstropolis. The wind began to ruffle his fronds, shifting in between the spaces making a pleasant tingling sensation race down his neck. He looked across at the golden tinted sky, burning with hells fire. The sun was drafting its last reaching rays across the squared car park, trying desperately to hurry off to sleep. Of course, with Randall analysing the logics, the sun was just moving to another place in the monster domain. How the setting laid before him made him feel so peaceful and distant in the world, like he was only something insignificant to the whole race of the planets. Randall didn't care… it made him feel at one with nature, something other monsters rarely encountered. But then again, he was one for insignificant details… After watching the grand finale, Randall released a low emitting sound to show that he too, was settling down. Then the image of that door came back down in the factory… what other wonders were there in this strange planet? Randall was determined to find out, and it was going to take all of his will power, to get there.

* * *

_Inside the vast bends and looming hallways of Monsters Incorporated, a certain monster was trying to find his way to the overpowering sight of Scare Floor F. Although this monster seemed to be very familiar to the surroundings, he had totally lost his bearings in the winded passageways. This certain monster was Randall Boggs… The lizard monster curiously scurried across the slippery floor on his four supporting limbs with the stubby three toes out of each foot. The beady eyes scanned the area, looking for any hint of direction or any sign pointing to the right route. There was no however… as MI needs to take a bit of getting used too. Randall indeed thought that he shouldn't be getting lost in a place he goes to everyday, but nevertheless, this one of **them **days. Inhaling a deep satisfying breath, he charged forward, not caring whether he was going the right way or not. He'd soon come across something familiar anyway. He knew that he would. But, everytime he seemed to near the end of the corridors, the whole area seemed to move before him to a larger scale, making it a long continues walk. Randall growled suddenly in frustration, trying to figure out why it was taking him such a long while to get through this damned place! He quickened his pace to a fast walk. It seemed to never shorten the travelling distance. He started to pant now, only slightly, but showing the signs of tiredness. His pink-topped plumes finally laid rest against his head as he went into a jog. His rests became less infrequent and his breathing became fast and flustered instead of a normal respiration. On and on he went, jogging down this impossibly giant passage. He suddenly let out a final howl of anger before finally pelting full blast down the floor, laying down to allow all of his limbs to take over on the run. Randall was actually amazed at just how fast he was going! His feet became a blurred image as they moved quickly against the floor. His face felt the abnormal gust of air smack into his nostrils and muzzle and making his eyes produce droplets of water. _

_ 'This is stupid!' Randall's smaller voice kept on telling him. But this tiny voice in the back of his skull was overtaken by determination. 'Come on! You can do this! Keep going!' Eyes narrowing to slits, he continued to push forward, still travelling at this unlikely speed. Suddenly, everything around changed almost instantly… The walls disappeared into thin air and he was left with a jet blackness hanging around the room. It looked as to be if he was in the middle of nowhere! He managed to halt himself, pushing his front two pairs of limbs up so he was once again in a straight posture on his four feet. He looked around astounded at his area. Nothing was here… absolutely **NOTHING AT ALL**. Then, after a tight consideration to give up entirely and just rot away, he discovered a bizarre object lighting the room in a ghastly little corner. It was a yellow and white panelled door, stuck together in the cold metal frame surrounding its edges. His fronds shot up high and his eyes returned to narrow slits at the confusion. What was a door doing here? It did sound quite suspicious… He started to take one foot after the other, edging ever so closer to the plank of wood, wondering if it was going to turn into some sort of beast and eat him up for its meal. Nope. Nothing was peculiar about this type of door now. Letting a small sight of silent relief, he walked casually up to it and touched it attentively with his gecko-padded fingers. It felt rough as usual. But, what Randall wondered, was if he had the strength to take a step inside. So unusually caringly, Randall reached towards the chipped knob handle and grasped it firmly. This was it…_

_ As quickly as Randall pulled open the door to the tip of its hinges, was he sucked inside to the vacuum below him. He felt like he was falling from the world's tallest building as he felt the amount of air hitting his underbelly. He had no energy or decency to scream for his existence, as sound couldn't travel inside this. He was going to die, no doubt about that from this height. He shut his eyes and let the event take place, feeling the G forces pound upon his poor, and whipcord body. Suddenly, he had the urge to open his eyes once more… and he regretted that he had instantly. Around him floated different patterned and coloured faces that snickered at his falling figure. Mouths opened to show vampire like fangs, ready to draw his red liquid that he ever so needed to live. Beady yellow cat eyes full of evil realms and hatred pondered across his features, making Randall feel as if it was asserting whether he lived or if he would die. The creatures gave a deafening snarl, which would certainly have been impossible wouldn't it? Sound cannot travel through a vacuum! _

_ "NO! NO!" Randall shrieked in a begging trial. "STOP IT! I WANT IT TO GO AWAY!" The daemons began to close him on his reckless form._

_ "NOOOOOO…!"_

* * *

Randall jolted awake, his back straight as a fresh pencil. His breathing was harshly messed up in places and he felt like his heart was burning to its core. He looked down upon himself and quickly felt all of his limbs for fractures or damage of any kind.

"It was a dream." He said aloud rather calmly. 'More of a nightmare' his conscience told him assuredly. His breathing started to return to its normal ship shape and he lay back down upon his padded couch. Staring up at the white, peeling ceiling, he replayed the events that had just happened back to him like a tape recorder, so as to not make sure he'd forget already. The pieces of the puzzle were fitting into place already and he remembered it like somebody had been recording from the background. Randall glanced over to his small table set beside the sofa. It was littered with out dated television magazines and a stained coffee cup lay discarded on the side. Randall, of course, was inside his own little apartment and had fallen asleep from being shattered by the day's events. Looking outside of the window, he noticed the early morning light beginning to stream through and plant itself over his various furniture objects. The window wasn't exactly that clean and was covered with a slight coat of grease. The chairs littered here and there looked very old and battered in vain. Randall even wished he could set them out of their misery by setting them alight in a bonfire event, but he didn't have the money to pay for new furnishings. Actually, he hadn't even the time to clean this place up for a LONG time. The days he had off, he spent shopping for the weekly groceries and never got round to doing a proper cleaning or a dust off. Truth be told, he didn't like living in these conditions, but having no time to do anything about it, he just carried on. He was also pretty lucky that he didn't have many visitors…. Not even the postman as he didn't expect extremely large parcels at any time, since nobody hardly knew him so they could send him one in the first place. But to comfort the matter, Randall had never owned any pets. Animals and him never got onto the right page of the book…

'That's it!' Randall screamed inside of his obscurely shaped head. 'I'm never having coffee before sleeping again!'. He defiantly had fallen asleep before dragging himself towards his comforting bed. He hated it when he did that… it made him feel like a total lay off. Clambering achely to his feet, Randall flopped up the creaking stairs, hearing the floorboards bend under his comparably small amount of weight. He was constantly scolding himself for even thinking about that darn door that had so far bought him nothing but misery. How he wish that very yesterday lunchtime that he hadn't taken a short stroll… But none the less, he WAS going to find out today where it leads, which meant breaking the rules. He'd usually keep close to those types of things, but this was for a desperate measurement uncalled for.

Randall pulled out his favoured toothpaste and brushed desperately to get rid of the hiding plaque on his usually gossamer teeth. He looked into the mirror at his groggy irises and started to snarl at his reflection to stop acting like a wimp. He needed to be stronger than this to get through the day. He'd had his sleep… so why was he feeling like this? Was it from the anxiety? Probably… that was one of the most rational explanations he had heard in a _long_ time. After emptying his mouth of the fluid, he ran a slow hand through his fronds, making them fly hyperactively over his head. This made him feel better… He reached towards the mirror and took out one of his cans of deodorants and began to spray it on his scales to keep him cool through long work periods… although, this was a pretty daunting day for putting on _work_ deodorant. And why was that? Because it was a Saturday! Randall did not have to enter Monsters Incorporated if he wasn't ready too. But, like he promised the other day, he was going to find out what lurked beyond that very closet door he had dreamt and thought so much about. He'd made a strong commitment to get rid of his annoying thoughts.

His plan was simple, but surprisingly dangerous and daring. Who knew what was in the next world? It may not have been exactly what he had a nightmare about, but it sure wouldn't be particularly normal, that was for sure. What would be so important about this world that it need be destroyed? So many questions plagued his mind, but Randall knew for sure, that he wouldn't have to wait long for them to be answered. Continuing downstairs to exit the building, he turned quietly and locked his apartment door. A small feeling bubbled up inside of him and he managed to blurt a cheesy grin. He was excited.

But, as Randall reached the door leading onto the usually busy welcome of Fangs Street, he couldn't help but have the inkling that he may not be coming back to home tonight…

* * *

Pushing open the sparkling doors to the main lobby of the giant power plant, Randall overviewed the scene. It was pretty busy as yesterday, and the day before that… but not as many monsters were charging about the floor as they may have chosen to take a well needed day off. The lizard monster wished he could too. Never taking one more pace forward, he vanished into the thin matter of air. He needed to not be seen or held back, because certain suspicions may arise. Especially that of a particular receptionist that held the record for holding the most conversations at one point in time. Not taking any notice into what objections were in front of his face, he pushed through any overtaking barriers, assorted monsters looking extremely confused at the invisible force weaning in-between them all. He reached his destination in only a couple of split minutes. It looked like Needleman and Smitty hadn't arrived at such an early hour, since he was trying to beat them to stop the door being shredded. If time was on his side, they would arrive by lunchtime and he'd be back in a short time if he went through for not a long time.

There it was… the white and panelled door leaning out in front of his face. This thing that he'd been thinking about for such a long while. Randall suddenly remembered the old saying that 'Curiosity killed the cat.' One problem… he was no cat, so it wouldn't hurt would it? He edged forward, his feet being placed one after the other. How could somebody be incredibly nervous, but undeniably excited at the same time? His fronds quivered from the movements he made and he reached his thick palm out to grasp the knob. Cupping it between all of his fingers, he twisted vastly, using his elegant tail to switch the link on between the two dimensions.

A blast of light shone through into the room and Randall squinted, walking backwards from the blinding rays. It was all too much! He couldn't see a darn thing! He bent forward by a sudden hidden pull, his neck swaying backwards from the unexpected impact. He thought he felt his spine crack as it twisted sickeningly close to his rump and tail. His feet rose off the ground from the sucking air. He was out breathed by the whole whirlwind. In a tight second, Randall disappeared like a needle in a haystack through the door; the wood slamming shut blocking the light and the wind inside. Randall felt himself falling through air. 'My god! It was a premonition!' He screamed inside his head. Being winded by the outtake, he plummeted down to the ground below him. But it was just predictable that he passed out into blackness before he hit the softening sand dunes below him.

If Randall had been awake, he would only wish, that he could rephrase and believe in that old saying he had so shortly said before…

* * *

**Authors Note:** OK! My first author note on this story and I'm sorry I didn't do this on previous chapters :S.

Well, Randall is **FINALLY **in the Cars dimension! It took a while, but he's there... Now this is where the fun begins 8D. I think the first conversation he'll have is very predictable, since he IS in Radiator Springs and we all know of a 'certain' car (or should I say **TRUCK**) who loves to talk to the outsiders. Ok, bear with me on the times that this story will be updated... I have been having alot of school work to do and it's getting on my nerves, but doing these stories always calm me down :).

Please READ and REVIEW as I really appreciate my writing being looked at by people. Constructive criticism is fine... Well, until Chappie 4, bye for now :D.


	4. First Encounters

**Chapter 4: First Encounters**

Some people never actually realise how dangerous it would be to enter into an entirely new dimension, unknown to the world before, and meet its very own inhabitants. Of course, their have been the stories about certain flesh eating aliens that want to suck the brains out of you… and the completely boring sideshow setting of a peaceful little cottage in the middle of a damned woodland. But not many have been recorded of a strange being looking exactly like an every day used object. It would probably be a strange and almost frightening perspective if you were used to these kinds of things just laying around waiting for you to actually MOVE or START them. But in this world, they have a separate mind of their own… and also use things similar to your own quarters, but in a different way. It IS a big world, and lets just say, theirs always going to be new discoveries. But even so, humans have yet to discover what lurks beyond their closet door…. And even in their world, they also have to discover what lies ahead of their own closet doors. It just continues in a never-ending cycle of a world in a world. But that just makes it a hell of a lot interesting. Beginning the awakening of a species of lizard monster, things were about to go dangerously topsy-turvy.

Randall Boggs was slowly starting to wake up from his deep slumber. He couldn't clearly remember what had happened before, but he knew that this had been no normal kind of sleep. His mind juggled with the lost undiscovered thoughts inside of his head. He still had yet to clear and open his vision windshield. He just saw strange shapes and figures in the dark landscape of his eyelids. Colours floated around the small box shape and changed every once in a while. The dimly lit daze was starting to make him feel physically sick and he knew that he did need to open his eyes pretty soon to stop this urge. A tiny piece of skin at a time, he raised his eyelid a little away from his small tear duct, awakened tightly by the sudden shaft of ray beams drafting through the gaps. He wanted to squint so badly, but because of the slow route he was taking, he couldn't at all. Opening them some more, he finally was able to make out a rectangular figure in front of him. No details were noticeable but he could see the colour brown stretched across the form. After a long pause and a spark of a puzzle, he finally stretched his eyelids to their normal gape. His sharp vision slowly focused and he found himself looking at more significant features.

'What the hell is that?' His mind said to himself. He appeared to be looking cross-eyed as he studied this 'thing' more closely. Was that a…. car? More comparable to a type of truck, but it was some kind of vehicle. This was too weird for one very confused lizard monster. He gave a loud but quick grunt… a big mistake if he wasn't looking for any attention. The truck spun round on its old, creaky tyres and drove up towards him, a bucktoothed grin spread across its face.

"Well dag gun nubbit! Its awake!" It exclaimed excitedly, pieces of oil erupting from the mouth. Randall peered his lips in disgust as a droplet landed on his muzzle, but at this point in time, his disgust disappeared into a look of bewilderment. What the hell was a truck doing talking to him in the middle of somewhere! Come to think of it… he couldn't call it somewhere, because for all he knew, he was in the middle of nowhere! But suddenly, Randall reverted back to what the truck had said, and stuck words from his mouth down its throat.

"IT? Who are you calling it!" Randall strained back. The truck didn't look taken aback at all by his outburst and spoke rather calmly.

"Shoot, me? Well ma names Mater." He replied back in that annoying goofy voice. Randall raised an invisible eyebrow. Well, at least he'd found one little bit of information out, although it was kind of useless to his own being.

"You know… like TUH-Mater, but without the TUH!" He continued ignorantly, his teeth still poking oddly out of his appreciating grin. Randall then decided to take in his appearance and looked him down. He was definatly right… he was a tow mater, and the kind that moved stuck vehicles around at that. Although he wasn't in the utmost ship shape. The whole body of him was plated with rust, eating away at what used to be a cool blue colour by the look of it. Randall could hardly tell since only small marks were left. On the end of his pole chain swung his heavy hook that could have been the type you would use in a very big fishing competition! Without that of course, he wouldn't be called a tow truck and was probably the most important aspect of him. He still couldn't get used to the fact that he was actually speaking to a hunk of metal! Who wouldn't?

"What's your name, huh?" He questioned suddenly, knocking Randall out of his thoughts perch. Randall took the question in mind and churned the answer around on his slithery forked tongue.

"Randall." He simply said back in a low voice, almost as if he didn't want anybody to hear the conversation. He beamed back down at the lizard monster with glee and rose on his suspensions.

"Aw, shucks Randall! It be nice meetin ya!" Randall murmured to himself quietly and started to look bored to death while Mater just beamed weirdly back at his figure. He sure was a weird one… Boiling inside his skull were some mannered and predictable questions that you'd expect from a lost person in the wilderness. But what occurred to the lizard monster, was wondering if Mater was the right kind of uh 'car' to ask. He supposed that he'd know the place, since he must get called out frequently on business. But that still didn't make him the right person for the job. Randall gave a deep sigh to calm himself and then began.

"Uh, Mater? Could you tell me where the hell I am?" He spat out rather rudely, not bothering to play 'Mr Nice Guy'. Mater replied still in the same act, not the least bit worried about his venomous attitude towards him.

"Shucks, your in Radiator Springs. The cutest little town in Carburetor County." He smiled with pride and admiration at this supposedly pretty town.

"Well that's just **great**!" Randall hollered. "I'm isolated in a spit of land!"

"Not to be ah poking, but where you been lately?" Mater asked curiously. Randall's head jerked into position to stare straight into his green-slated eyes.

"And what make's you so sure I'd tell you that, **huh**?" Randall growled, not so ready to give up his position since nobody but monsters themselves should know the way back to his own dimension. He wasn't even so sure he should be even talking right now.

"I just thought…" Mater tipped round to the side and glanced down at the grains of sand covering the ground. "… Since I don't see folks like you around here…"

"You think nothing." Randall growled in reply. "You hear nothing. You know nothing and it'll stay that way." For the first time, Randall saw Mater's mouth go agape and he looked kind of disappointed. Well, he wasn't just going to give away his one spot location just because some blabbering idiot asked him?

Suddenly, he remembered that he had been splayed across the ground for quite some time now. He hadn't really felt many of his limbs, body or tail since waking up, which made him wonder if he did have any injuries on him. Usually if you'd broken something, you wouldn't be able to feel that part. Although, after the few minutes of lying down, he'd regained control and texture of his parts and had decided to try and get up. Mater watched nervously as Randall began to climb to his footing. First, he used his front forearms to lift up his chest area and then carefully used his back arms as support. He was making slow, but steady progress with this. But as soon as Randall tried to move his front pair of legs, he felt a sharp, shooting pain from his left side and yelped in surprise. He fell back down onto his chest, making him tremble from the collision of his rib cage.

"You don't ah look to good there, Randall." Mater spoke with concern and worry in his voice, a rare sight for Randall because he usually had no compliments or burdens from his fellow workers.

"Look I'm fine." Randall wheezed, unsure of himself. He needed to get checked out, that was for sure from a doctor or nurse. But where in the world was he going to find one of them in this place? He couldn't even move, let alone find someone who appeared to be helpful!

"What seems to be the problem here Mater?" A raspy old grandfatherly type voice rang out across the plain. Randall's fronds perked up at the interruption and he watched as a dark, navy blue vehicle drove across the dunes, dust trails kicked up into the atmosphere by the squelching tyres running over small rocks of all kinds. He indeed looked a lot older than Mater, but at least he was cleaner. As his tracks came to a halt just before Mater, Randall spotted a bold 'Hudson Hornet' application across his thick-coated base.

'Hmm, racer type.' Randall thought captivatingly.

"Heya their Doc. No. No trouble at all, just I found a newcomer in town." Mater explained with as much detail as his IQ aloud him too. Doc looked down to find Randall stretched out across the ground.

"Well I'd be downed." He spoke with an unusual interest and awe. "You've found quite a catch here Mater." He smiled warmly with his metallic bumpers at the rusty car, receiving a chuckle in reply.

"Well excuse me if I look like some kind of **sport**!" Randall blurted out, not trying to stop himself.

"I can see your definatly not from around here." Doc digested Randall's words in a flash. "You must have come from afar. Well, that's fine by _us _here. Now what was all that yapping about?" Randall stared at him with daggers in his eyes and hell's flames.

"Well, I would of thought that you would have understood what somebody in pain would sound like." Randall said in a 'matter of factly' way. Doc's eyes narrowed down and he glared at him with a wise hint behind his eyes.

"You outta watch yourself hard stuff or that mouth of yours will get you into enough trouble." He stated, firmly, his voice going deeper, but with no arrogance at all. Randall on the other hand continued his glance of death. He grimaced slightly as his neck was beginning to get sore from all of the craning he had to put up with. He decided to not fight the point any longer, as he knew deep down that Doc's point had been true.

"Now, I have never encountered anything similar to your species, but I'll try and do the best I can." Doc continued in a slightly more inviting tone. "I'll be taking you into examination so I can make sure I know what the problem is." Randall just looked at him tiredly, but still listened to his small speech. Doc turned with all his might left and looked steadily at Mater. "Mater, go fetch the stretcher from the compound."

"Uh, ok." Mater replied, before he drove off into a giant forming cloud of dust. It didn't take very long for him to return, and the peace between Doc and Randall had been irritatingly quiet and uncomfortable for the both of them. Although the picture in his mind that Randall would have thought the stretcher to be, was entirely wrong. It was a piece of equipment that really was an up thrusted car ramp with that cold type of metal that sent chills down your spine once you laid a finger upon it. It managed to tip uncontrollably between the open spaces, suspended off the ground by Mater's virtually strong tow cable. Randall groaned at the awaiting sight and shook his head in disproval. Mater stopped only a few metres away, and with a whir of his whining contraption, lowered the ramp down onto the ground with a struggling bang at the end.

"You'll have to excuse the crude transportation." Doc encouraged. "It's not like we have folk like you around here everyday." He gave a small laugh before driving round to lie beside Mater who was grinning like a maniac. "I know it's not going to be easy, but if you could just shift yourself onto the ramp, then we'll do the rest."

Randall grunted and looked towards the unattractive grey carrier. I was a treacherous sight indeed. He gave a few small breaths of loyalty to his body. Gathering up the only courage he had remaining and baring his set of canines, Randall pulled with both pairs of forearms towards the ramp. He could feel the intense heat searing upon his form and he gasped in the effort. This was taking all of the energy out of him! Crawling worthlessly along the floor was not a pretty sight for the drained lizard monster. After many tries and fails, he finally managed to rest upon the dusty hunk of steel, resting his chin upon the suggested bedding, which was nothing but a hard greeting of metal. He felt himself get lifted into the air by Mater's untrusting hook, and so he grabbed onto the object with reassurance, sticking assertively.

"Oh don't worry about what's going to come. It's standard procedure." Doc reversed out of the tight space and began to drive beside his truck colleague. "Oh, and I forgot to ask, what is your name?" Doc piped up from the back line. Randall twisted his head round to face the old car, and said with a calm voice with no spite at all:

"Randall. Randall Boggs."

* * *

Needleman and Smitty strolled and dragged they're selves down the thin corridor, not really paying attention on what was right in front of their noses. Along with them, was the dreaded door shredder, a device they were accompanied to, but other monsters hated to have it used. The shredder was represented as a tool to rid of one closet door at a single time. The only time its use was ever needed was when decontamination had been taken place, or if orders were sent out. On this particular occasion, they were wheeling down towards the old office block, which contained an oblivious door that needed to be rid of. Needleman and Smitty did not actually want to get rid of this closet entrance, but rules were rules and they couldn't abide.

They were both starting to ramble on in ridiculous wobbly voices about their personal lives outside of Monsters Inc…

"Well, what did you mom do?" Smitty asked with wide eyes.

"You know my mom… she sent me to my room." Needleman fiddled with his hard hat for a second, sporting the Monsters Incorporated logo before he was greeted by the sudden appearance of Henry J. Waternoose III. His eyes and features were deadly serious and ready to apprehend any monster that got in his way. Needleman and Smitty immediately stopped talking when they spotted the crab and spider cross monster. Only the groan of the wheels and the creaking of the crustaceans skin were heard. Pulling it bravely into the room, Needleman and Smitty swung the door shredder round so its side was facing towards the newly coming door. If this shredder had a mind of its own, it would be thinking about how sweet the awaiting wood was going to taste in its sharp jaws and the glorious chewing on splinters the size of toothpicks.

"Right, lets get this over with shall we?" Waternoose asked rhetorically. Needleman and Smitty made no reply and paced over clumsily to the door. Smitty, being crossed with a worm, was having a little difficulty lifting the closet up off the ground. He struggled for a minute positioning his bumpy body to grab the wood. Needleman carefully protracted the door out of the metal frame enclosing it with a loud screech. A silly sight indeed… Needleman carrying the door in an upright posture while Smitty slithered underneath for extra supportive on the bottom. They edged ever nearer towards the shredder, eyeing the marvellous invention. Using all of their remaining strength, they heaved heavily on the door and managed to slip it in between the slot. The door was ready. Needleman seemed to breath steady while Smitty looked incredibly nervous at the setting. The process was nearly ready to begin digestion. Smitty reached towards the handle to turn the machine on with a quivering hand. It looked like he was trying to pet a very dangerous dog instead of turning on a harmless contraption. Giving a deep breath of anxiety, he pulled the lever down, instantly bringing the machine into life.

The door shook with the vibrations moving through the machine as it lowered slowly down into the crunching teeth of the beast. The groan of wood colliding with the sharp razors rang loud throughout the small room. They were actually very lucky that nobody heard what the three monsters were doing, although, it wouldn't of mattered anyway because the head of the company was inside that small room, so suspicions would be passed round, but no word said. Nobody in their right minds would question the one and only boss in the building!

It was a tense moment for everyone as they watched an entirely new dimension slip away into the unknown. Splinters shot from the mouth like hard bullets, slipping between the spaces in the air. The door had now nearly completed its long journey through the only existence it had. Mr. Waternoose gave a complicated sigh before moving off towards the exit, leaving Needleman and Smitty to talk. Suddenly, he abrupted his creaky track and turned to face them once more.

"Don't say a word… I already had to speak to Boggs about this." He stated. Needleman and Smitty instantly recognised the sir name.

"Uh Randall… Oh yeah, that guy really creeps me out man!" Needleman exclaimed, giving a noticeable shiver to the proper name. Waternoose continued on his route out of the room, and instantly regretted what he had done. An entire world, had just slipped through the palm of his claws, and he felt all the guilt about it… But it wasn't his fault. He had been ordered, yes ordered by the manufacturer to immediately dispose of this doorway and to not let word get out about it. Apart from Randall and the two geeks behind him, nobody else knew a soul. The thought was plaguing his mind about Randall… Did he still think about this door?

A sickening feeling washed over Waternoose and he wondered to himself if what he was thinking was true. The fact that Randall had been seen coming into work by kind woman Celia, but not on the scare floor was bugging him to bits. It was so unlike Randall to be skiving off of work like this, even though it was a Saturday, he would still be there all the same. Gosh, he was a hard working fellow, but the one fault he had was a little bit of an attitude problem. So, the question was, where could he have got too?

And what Henry J. Waternoose was thinking at that time, which anybody could probably best, was not the best of thoughts, but still all that possible. It was unusual for such a high-chained person to be thinking about what he called a low working scarer, even for 2nd tops, as he didn't like Randall too much. But, even to one of the hardest monsters in the city, no one deserved to be completely stranded, or did they?

* * *

Radiator Springs was one of those peaceful little towns inside a massive area of desert land. I guess, as situated in an area like that, you could call it life's little oasis. But only a few years back, the town had fallen into dismay by the newly built interstate roads cutting straight across the land so you could reach places with more speed, flexibility and easiness. The town was eventually written off of the road maps completely, so nobody would know where the forgotten Route 66 would lead too. But very recently, all that was changed by one single famous racing car. It happened through a very brief incident of getting lost off the main motorway and taking a wrong turning down the lost road. As simple as that, this changed the future of this tiny town forever. Being a much more content place than it ever was before, this car set up his very own racing headquarters here, giving the town more money and more popularity. But even more than that, this car gave the credibility of Radiator Springs being placed back on the map. But since that strange occurrence, it was back to how things used to be in the golden oldie days. But again, things were about to take a change of course for a strange creature that had appeared out of nowhere.

Randall lay perfectly still on the gaping smooth floor, taking in the scenery around him. This looked to be the exact match for a doctor's examination room, if you were a car that is… Why would something in a cars universe not be built towards accommodating cars? Randall rolled his eyes at his confusing thoughts and lay his head back down. Doc had placed a large sheet of white cloth across the ground for him to lie on. The other contraption he would normally use would be a device to suspend cars off of the ground up high. Randall believed that this material was used as a dust cover to keep threatening particles away from delicate spare parts. Although it was convenient enough, it was very rough in some places and somewhat unsuitable for the job, but Randall kept his mouth shut. He didn't want another run in with Doc and he didn't want to exhaust his already deteriorating form. Many of the medical tools were glinting from the overhanging light shade making a blinding ray of light shine upon anything deflectable. Doc was driving around with many tools attached to just one of his tyres. It really amazed Randall for how much in his ability he was able to do for just being a vehicle. Suddenly, he decided to show his approval.

"You know, for a car, you can get around pretty far." Randall smiled toothy after his gestured comment. Doc looked him in the eyes and gave a rather casual gesture back.

"Yeah, well, you kinda get used to it after a _long_ time." He seemed to exaggerate it too much for Randall's liking.

"So how old are you gramps?" Randall licked his lips slowly and grinned wearily. Doc gave him that same annoyed look, not saying anything at all, but ignoring the rude comment. He was looking carefully across the lizard monsters body. He was in slight awe at the many patterns Randall's scales contained. He had quite a variety of colours hidden in their… lilac, blue, green and pink. His eight limbs were scattered out to the sides in different positions, not really giving a care. His fronds lay rather close to his uplifted skin and his eyes looked rather drained of colour. Although of course Doc had never dealt in anything other many different metals, he recognised something broken when he saw it. It looked to him as if Randall had sustained a fracture in his first back leg on the left. Doc had no way intentionally to listen to Randall's ongoing heartbeat, so he thought he'd leave that one out.

"Right." Doc sighed heavily, placing his equipment down on the metal trays around the room. "I'd say that your physical condition is fine apart from one of your, uh, legs which looks to be either broken or fractured." Randall perked up at the sound of 'broken' and looked incredibly anxious.

"Broken? You mean in the damaged broken?" He questioned unauthorised. Rather stupid question but nevertheless…

"That **is** the only broken I know of." Doc sarcastically drawled. Randall gave a small scoff before he listened to the coming aroma of more questions.

"Now Randall." Doc started surely. "Tell me more about yourself. Do you remember anything?" The monster thought for a moment, twisting his eyes towards his brain and flicked his tongue.

"I'm a 24 year old reptilian." He began, unsure of the right words to use to try and not blow his cover. "My birthday is on the 13th of February and I live…" Now he couldn't quite clearly remember, come to think of it.

"Go on." Doc emboldened. Randall bit his bottom lip lightly.

'Come on, you know you know!' He screamed to himself. He exhaled deeply and let the truth wash over.

"I don't remember that one, ok." He sprawled. Doc focused his gaze on nothing and then returned it back to the lizard monster.

"You may have a slight amnesia." He explained. "Come to think of it, you must have hit your head."

"Now that you mention that… I'm not particularly headache free." Randall moaned. What was he doing! He felt so. So darn weak! This was nothing like the Randall he knew! 'Get a grip!' He mentally kicked himself, and hard.

"Uh-huh." Doc understood immediately. "Well, if I wrap that leg of yours up, you should be fine. Just don't apply pressure just yet." Doc moved over towards a large stretch of duck tape, which would be usually used to hold in a cracked windshield or something plainly simple like that. But no. He was using this on the weirdest of creatures he had come across in his life. Once pulling off a long enough strips, he carefully began to slip the harsh sticky solution around Randall's slender purple leg, surprisingly dry and soft to the touch. Doc had initially thought that Randall would feel incredibly slimy, but now he knew the true meaning of 'looks are deceiving'. Randall was giving the slight murmur of pain every once in a while as he tightened it expertly with his wheel. Finally, he was ready to move. To move and feel the pain, but at least to try and walk or at least as he thought, stumble along.

First Randall lifted his upper torso with all four of his arms. This was proving to actually be a harder task as he had gotten accommodated to the touch of the floor. He was also losing his strength fast from his long journey into this different world, even though that journey may have been falling through the fluffy clouds. His arms began to strain from the weight, shaking violently.

"Take it easy there." Doc reassured. Randall rolled his eyes again, agitated by his concerns. He could look after himself and he didn't need a grandpa car looking over his status! This was now going to be the hard part. Using all of his remaining energy, Randall pulled his legs forward, yelping suddenly in the numbness. But he had finally accomplished his one goal. He was standing rather frankly like a drunken old man on just three of his three toed feet. The suspended fourth foot slumped across the floor indelicately. Gathering his bravery, he moved forward, giving a slight small hop to move to a new location.

"Well, you done good there. You better go out for some fresh air now." Doc suggested rather fond of the lizard monsters accomplishment. Doc moved over towards the large entrance and pushed hard, letting a shaft of light escape through the overwhelming gap and flood into the room. Outside, Randall could see a spiny cactus or two, but the main sight was the long outstretched main street of Radiator Springs. Crushing some of his hard dignity, Randall turned towards Doc and blurted a single word.

"Thanks." And then off he went, into the bustling crowds of the small town. Doc laughed quietly to himself before saying more truer words than any other wise car would:

"Oh you've got a lot to learn, Randall. So much to learn."


	5. Social Interactions

**Chapter 5: Social Interactions**

It was nearing lunchtime in downtown aged Radiator Springs. The large Sun hanging for dear life in the blueness of the sky was slowly shifting up in altitude. This made the whole viewing point seem to shiver at distant objects as the searing heat settled down upon any open item. Especially for a desert, you'd need plenty of water to drink, but since the inhabitants except for one newcomer were Cars, they only needed a small refill of oil to get the full nutrients and minerals for the day. But of course, that one new migrated reptile, if you would call him that, needed other values if he was to sustain himself and survive. And in the very place he was at, these types of things were hard to come by. They were around here and there obviously, but just rare. If you were somebody in desperate need for a hydration, you would do nearly anything to quench your dying thirst. This was exactly a certain Randall Boggs' situation…

He paced with a hanging drag down the seemingly barren street. Everything around him seemed to be still and lifeless and not a car was in sight. He may have even been pleased with the setting, as he may have been getting pretty sick at the sight of these inventions. Everything in sight was merely built around this intrepid device! But did it seem so boring to him? No, matter of factly. His face was an expression of torment and his forked tongue lay dopey out of his mouth, saliva giving the occurring drips from the exhaustion. His pink-topped plumes folded back towards his scales and his eyes lay lazily to different sides. He was moving rather slow for a usually fast paced reptilian, his legs straining to support his decreasing weight. How this heat was just too much. Yes, he wouldn't mind the lovely warmth of his welcoming apartment back home, but this was just intense! Which desert wouldn't be? Not giving a care for anything anymore, he proceeded towards the coming intersection. It was then that he spotted more of those darn cars.

Upon a rickety porch was a black aged Ford model, gently snoozing in the small breeze. Randall surveyed the scene in a couple of more details… the dated fashioned radio placed upon the leaning side table and the fancy sign board stretching above him with many light bulbs poking out of various places, looking as if it was about to light up any second. Randall winced at his misfortune of mistakenly standing on his injured leg. He uttered no sound, but the pain was almost unbearable. Randall finally decided not to wake the sleeping female car, as it would only cause him more grief and worry. He didn't need any more incidents on his checklist.

Finally, after much anticipation, he had reached the cross section and noticed the bewailing sight before his very eyes. Fashioned after the famous Italian building was a giant leaning tower of enormous, individually rough monster truck tyres! Randall cocked an eyebrow at the whole madness in girth. This was just too much for one solitary monster to take in… He nearly even collapsed with amazement. His hobby had gotten the best of him once again, and he hated it. It made him feel puny and weak, something that with the name 'Randall Boggs' didn't mix. He tensed his knuckles at the side of his cord body and looked strongly down the street. He was overcoming his endeavouring sickness and pulling himself together. He shouldn't be throwing up at the sight of a marvel like this, he should be gawping! Its not everyday you find a leaning tower of tyres now is it? Glancing up and down at the tall obstacle, he noticed how it did look like it was about to collapse. Whoever had built this had managed to get the effect in an almost perfect state. Suddenly, his attention slipped onto the large shop store behind the wheels and he read the glowing sign ahead of the doorway. 'Luigi's Casa Della Tyres' stretched as far as his eyes could see. So he knew one thing… that this guy was called Luigi and he owned a tyre shop. Basically, he would have normally called it a shoe shop… Things were starting to seem a little less complicated every second. Really, everything in this world was kind of similar to things in Randall's own monster world. Randall looked around again, this time looking at the yard in front of the housing. It contained an assorted lot of different shaped and coloured tyres scattered across the landscape. The sight was kind of bewildering to him, as not even owning a car; it had always intrigued him to see the garages, which would do a fixer upper. After going into a warming daydream, he awoke from his strange thoughts and raised a hand to run thoroughly through his fronds. This actually **did **help him to relax in the tightest of spots.

Suddenly, knocking out of his almost sleeping state, he spotted a small forklift like car appear from the inside of the estate. Now, he needed to talk to someone here and not that _genius_ back in the surgery down the road. Cautiously, he advanced forward, trying not to make the tiniest of noises. He wasn't sure how another one of these cars would react to a being like him. He supposed that nobody else had spoken a word about him yet, since he was supposed to be in some sort of health care, but that made it all the more fun for him. As he neared, he noticed that this small vehicle was currently washing some of the large windows on the front of the house, carefully moisturising the entire pane before wiping away the entrails. It was concentrating hard on this simple job that needed to be done for presentation efforts. Randall took a deep breath, clearing some of his anxiousness.

"I…" He began, not sure whether to finish the sentence or not. "I…" The car didn't seem to be noticing his words and carried on doing the work. Randall fumed up inside, blaming himself to stop being so frightened of 'speaking to a nobody'. This anger then reached his expressionless face and he gritted his teeth. This was it! Instead of taking the normal approach by announcing that he was there, Randall decided to do something quite abnormal for his type of character. He cleared his throat extremely loud. This _seemed_ to get the vehicles attention, as its brakes on the wind screen wiper activated and it stood perfectly still and silent. It retracted the wiper away from the window, leaving a sparkling glow in its place, and settled the cleaning device on the concrete ground. It reversed backwards, nearly hitting into Randall's body before doing a swift turn.

"Sono spiacente! Non ho veduto…" It babbled on a different language, grazing the words to a halt as soon as it's eyes rested upon the lizard monster. Its eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and its mouth fell agape so wide you could fit another one of its own kind inside! Randall looked taken aback, but suddenly smiled.

"Scared ya?" He grinned cheesily, leaning over the small form. The car gave an ear shattering shriek in surprise and swerved around, trying to get away!

"STRANIERO!" It hollered as loud as it could. "STRANIERO, STRANIERO!" And with a knock into a stacked pile of tyres, cascading to the ground, it disappeared back into the dark depths of the store. Randall cocked his eyebrow curiously and restrained back an unneeded laugh. It was a funny sight to see, but now was the time to be asking for answers. He wouldn't have to wait a minute longer as he yet heard more voices carried by the air current from the inside of the shop.

"Nonsense, there are no such things around here." A voice explained with an Italian accent. The car was not needed to be interpreted as it swiftly appeared around the opening almost coincidentally. This time, it was a pale yellow Fiat shaped vehicle with a rather large windscreen. An impatient expression was painted across the entire bonnet and it looked rather annoyed too. The hazel eyes scanned the viewpoint around until that is, it settled upon Randall. A clearly expected look of horror, confusion and fear crossed rectified and this car shrieked exactly like the blue forklift. Randall was getting fed up with this attitude towards him.

"ALIEN!" The car screamed out towards any nearby people, repeating it over and over again.

'Alien?' Randall thought angrily. 'I'll show them who's alien!' He marched towards the car, noting the decreasing in volume of the shouting as he straightened his build. Nobody, **nobody** would call him an alien!

"Let's get something straight here!" Randall snarled. "Do I look like an alien to you? HUH!" The Fiat cowered in his shadow and whimpered slightly before giving a heard and acceptable 'No'. Randall then unscrewed his bolts a little.

"Well, stop pretending that I am, ok?" He negotiated. The Fiat nodded unexpectedly and then became calmer after every passing second. "Look, I know we got off on the wrong track, but could you at least tell _me_ where the nearest closet door is, hmm?" The car raised an eyebrow and looked him down with a very confused glance.

"Door?" It uttered. "We don't have any 'closet doors' around these parts?" Randall narrowed his eyes, configuring the response he'd just received. How the heck could a closet door leading to this world have been used if there WERE no closet doors? It surely wasn't possible… unless those upbeat manufacturers were smarts ones. That was the only explanation for now. Randall sighed and relaxed his body, allowing him to bend his spine into a comfortable position to suitably sit over his body while still standing.

"Excuse me for my fear, but I am Luigi. Great maker of all tyres!" He boldly said. The small forklift once again appeared from the inside, knowing that now Randall had talked to his supposed 'boss', everything was good and fine. "And this is Guido, my trusty assistant." He moved backwards so Guido could fit in the small gathering.

"Chi sono voi?" Guido questioned authoritively. Randall looked dumbfounded.

"Uh…**I Don't Speak Weird Languages.**" Randall emphasized immensely, waving his hands around in the air. Luigi laughed nervously.

"Oh, it common language for us. We are Italian." Randall didn't look all that impressed. All he was concerned with was that he didn't understand a word Guido said.

"Uh-huh." Randall spat, bored with the conversation already. Luigi didn't take the slight notice and continued with his little speech.

"May I ask you a question uh…" He looked around for the answer. "What is your name?"

"Randall."

"Oh, ok, uh Randall…" Luigi played with the name on his tongue. "Do you know many Ferrari's?" Something inside of him snapped and Randall flung his body towards the small car, noting the question in his mind.

"Never heard of em." He puffed out his chest vigorously. It was probably the strangest reaction he had seen from anybody in his life. Both of their faces looked clearly like they thought he had been living in a dark, dark room for the years of his pitiful life. They simply couldn't believe that the lizard monster had never heard of one of the most famous and beloved brand of car making companies ever!

"Luigi only follow the Ferrari's." He announced, before seeming to stick up his bonnet and return back inside his own shop. Guido followed close on his heels, looking just as venomous as Luigi had been. Randall looked disappointed, tormented and angry all at the same time.

"Well thanks for the **HELP**!" He called after them. He scoffed in a vicious tone before walking off again. "Cars…" He muttered under his breath. Off Randall went once again, seeking help from much more _suitable_ cars. He definatly thought that those two were a really odd pair. At least that Doc and Mater didn't freak out at what Randall liked or knew about things. Nope, Randall hadn't heard of the 'Ferrari' people who were so greatly looked upon in worlds alike. Maybe that was because in the monster world, their own brands of cars had very peculiar names or a motor with over six monster wheels. Nothing was exactly like in different dimensions. Everybody had his or her differences. The thing that bothered Randall the most though, was how friendly those two cars had been. They may have freaked out some when they had first set their gaze upon the lizard monster, but when Randall had approached Guido and Luigi and promised he wouldn't be gobbling them up on sight or anything like that, they had forgotten that he was an outsider and asked him some significant questions. Now the question was in thought… Was everybody like that here? Because, maybe if they were, than Randall wouldn't have such a hard time getting around. He just hoped to God that they weren't all crazy Ferrari obsessed lunatics.

The determined lizard monster turned slowly around to face another large building. This place seemed to be rather stretched out and was contrasted against the rest of the town by its urban appearance. On a thin tall podium towering above read 'Ramone's'. This was then followed by a series of purple letters fitted across the side of the wall: 'House Of Body Art'. Now this looked to be more promising for our reptilian friend. Not too formal and it had a little bit of class. As he began to stroll nearer to the walls, he noticed a painted canvas across what would normally be a window. He couldn't really tell from the lighting effect exactly what it was, but it looked a pretty nice piece. Not noticing any more attributes, he disappeared around the side of the building and entered through a pair of inward swinging door. The place inside was nearly the same principal as Doc's clinic. It more or less had dust covers around the place and plastic trays with assorted tools. Although the only difference was this place was used for painting jobs. The place was engulfed in darkness, but with Randall's sharp eyesight, he could see everything in the blackness. His initial greeting was immediately met.

A dark purple low rider with flame strips along the sides drove up towards Randall, not yet noticing who had come into his store.

"Uh, any of you wanting a paint job man?" He questioned the darkness in a cool tone. Silence. Not a sound was heard anywhere. His eyes buckled under the light and looked around for any sign of life. He then spotted the unbelievable figure of a beast in the small rays of the door light seeping through. It definatly seemed unlike the cars self as for one, it didn't have tyres at all or anything recognisable that was associated with a vehicle. In a flash, the car decided to flick on the light, pushing down the giant switch to connect the power. In an instant, the visitor was shown and it squinted at the blast. The car didn't say anything, but just gawped at the creature standing in the doorway.

"Let's get this thing over with…" Randall decided quickly, noticing the cars frightened expression. "Could you point me to the nearest closet door?" The car immediately welled down to a calmer state. So this 'thing' wasn't going to do any harm by the looks of it.

"Oh, I don't think theirs anything like that around here man?" Randall instantly looked like he had only moments before. That was twice he'd been denied that there was no such thing as a closet door in this area. He was beginning to think the idea of getting home to his sweet, sweet house was getting further and further away from his grasp. "And courtesy of me, Ramone, I'd like to give you an absolutely free of charge paint job!" He exclaimed, hoping to grab his attention. Randall looked him in the eye, knowing this Ramone guy was no help either.

"Do you really think I'm someone in need of a paintjob?" He screamed in his face. Grunting with annoyance and frustration, Randall turned tail and headed out of the building.

"Weird…" Ramone thought aloud. "Mostly everybody excepts a **FREE** paint job?"

Outside, Randall gave a huge sigh of desperation. He wanted to get home, that was for sure, but nobody seemed to know anything about closet doors. How was it _possible_ for him to come through a closet door, but not be able to exit out of one? That was sure some special door he had gone through… Randall was about to give up, when he thought that he'd do one last try. Coming down the middle of the road, was a blur of red. Another possible outcome. Randall bravely walked into the road, knowing the car would be slowing down as to not run him over. Surely, the car grounded to a halt, and Randall could take a better look at this other stranger. Now this guy looked promising… Randall guessed for sure that he was a racecar. **Rookie** racecar more likely. How could he tell? Sponser… the name 'Ruste-eze' was splayed across the full bonnet and the numbers 95 were spray painted onto its side and stuck across the fake sticker headlights. The red paint plastered onto the full extension of the car glimmered in the sun.

"Uh…" The car looked confused at Randall's figure. Of course, ALL of the cars that Randall had met that morning had looked confused. They'd never seen anything like him before, and he couldn't blame them. It's not everyday some monster wonders into a magical closet door and is transported to a totally different dimension to the usual. But Randall of course, was relieved that this car didn't holler for his mouth or looked like some idiot who'd just seen a spook.

"Can I help you?" He finally finished. Randall looked around before staring straight into his large blue irises.

"Since you look sane enough…" Randall sarcastically drawled. "You'd be able to answer my little question." He grinned. "Could you tell me where the nearest closet door is?"

"I can assure you there is nothing like that around here." The car replied, trying to keep calm. Randall's face fell into despair. He didn't show any weakness, but inside, he knew that this was it. He would never get home. And this car had looked so promising. Hearing it from this car, he finally believed there were no closet doors around. "Hey, you look like you lost your exhaust? You ok?" He asked concerned. Randall perked up immediately putting on the arrogant attitude.

"I'm fine." He seethed. The car didn't look taken aback.

"No your not. Don't play wise guy." The car pointed out that he wasn't dumb at all. "Look, come on, I'll let you have a top up at Flo's." He suggested. He immediately drove around the lizard monster, and Randall reluctantly followed, not knowing what to do next.

"Who are you then?" Randall asked boldly. The cars eyes returned to his form.  
"Lightning McQueen's the name, and racings my game." He smiled warmly towards the reptile. "And you are?"

"Randall, Randall Boggs." Randall replied quickly. The pair continued to make their way to the café.

"Well, Randall. Welcome to Radiator Springs."

* * *

"Have any of you seen Randall about?" The small jellybean shape of Fungus asked. Sulley and Mike looked at each other in a weird glance. The pair had been working at the scare floor all morning and hadn't seen the lizard monster come in. It was unusual for Randall to be off on Saturday lunchtime, as he always came in on the extra weekend day.

"Uh… no, we haven't seen him." Sulley finally replied after a long pause. Secretly inside, the furry monster was _glad _he hadn't seen him. After the little confrontation they had yesterday, Sulley had been brewing up on the thought that Randall may go on an anger spree. Mike on the other hand, showed that he didn't really care where Randall was at the time. The spite between him and the lizard monster was humongous. Mike hated him like he'd never hated anybody before. He was sure Randall thought the same about him too. He **HAD **too, didn't he?

"Oh…" Fungus looked rather puzzled. "He must have come in today." He bit his lip tenderly. "He **always **comes in today." Sulley looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Hey, why don't you go ask Celia? She'll probably know, as she **is **the receptionist." He smiled warmly to the 3-foot tall red monster, before Fungus cocked his glasses.

"Um, ok then." Fungus then thanked them both, and strutted off towards the main lobby. It was Mike's turn to be sarcastic.

"And here I am thinking Fungus would be _happy _to be rid of Randall for one whole day." He then fumbled with a nearby scream canister, snapping it into place on the door control panel. Sulley again wondered in his imagination, standing like a possessed idiot, until he finally broke out of it. Then solemnly, he continued his working period.

Fungus was feeling a bottomless pit of sickening worry. He hoped nothing bad had happened to his partner. Yeah, Randall could be a right pain sometimes, but that didn't mean that Fungus did not care. He was determined to find out the answer to this peculiar mystery that had occurred so unusually on that day. Surprisingly, apart from his main personality, Fungus had no idea where the lizard monster lived. It had never really intrigued him before to know exactly where in the city laid his roots. The only knowledge of each other was the fact that they were scaring partners and they worked in the same building. But now, Fungus was going to have to make the decision to ask for his home address. It would be the only way he would know if he was alright, since Randall never really took days off. The only times they would be would probably be when he was having to shed his skin. In that scenario though, Randall would phone in to say he wasn't coming to work. _This _was different, _way_ different. He cautiously approached Celia at the reception desk in his nervous aroma. Bottom lip quivering, he lifted a finger to grab her attention. Celia took the message and looked at him with her one eye. Her snake hair was currently focused on a different task.

"Hey Fungus, what's up?" She asked, surprised that Fungus had came to her on lunch break. What would he want her for?

"Umm…" He began skittishly. "_Haavvee_ you seen Randall come in?" He gave a small grin. Celia looked relieved that it wasn't something important, but then her relief turned to a concerned look.

"I remember catching a glimpse of him. I thought he would be with you?" Yeah, that's what you'd usually think. But today was not one of those usual days. Today was different.

"Well, _I, I_ haven't seen him all morning." Fungus replied, fretful.

"Maybe he went home sick. You going to call him?" Celia suggested hopefully. Fungus exchanged a confession.

"That's the _ppp_roblem. I don't know his number." Celia looked a little shocked at this. Shouldn't Fungus know where his partner lived and what his phone number was? There was a slight pause between them both.

"Hey, maybe you should take a look at his file. Celia smiled warmly at the small monster.

"Oh no, I really couldn't…" Fungus hesitated. "I shouldn't look at his personal property!"

"Look, you wanna know where he is right?" Celia stated.

"Y_yy_es" Fungus replied, stuttering from the idea of Randall finding out that he had gone through his personal belongings.

"Well, go and take a look! You are his 'assistant' by the way." Celia diplomatically said. Fungus knew deep down that she, of course, was right. He did have the right to know, and nobody would think suspicious of him for his personal right hand guy to be taking a look at his address and phone information. "Down that hallway, to the left." Celia pointed out the place she was speaking about. Fungus quickly thanked her before skittering off towards the corridor. As he rounded the corner, both the female receptionist and the assistant hadn't noticed that Henry J. Waternoose, had been hearing in on the conversation.

This area was unlike the other quarters Fungus had seemed in his time at Monsters Incorporated. It was a freakishly quiet place, away from the constant drone of the doors trundling down the overhanging conveyer belt and the terrified shrieks of all of the scared children. Once he had reached his destination, which he could tell was a archived section, he opened the dull door and walked through into the dusty surroundings. The place was filled with large cabinets, taking up most of the space. Inside all of these, would be information on every scarer that worked at Monsters Inc. Exciting a it looked, this was a time of action. Fungus walked rather confidently towards the **B **drawers. He was pretty sure that this place would mark from the surname instead of the forename. Pulling with all of his strength, the drawer stretched further than in actual belief. Fungus flicked through all of the labelled files peeking out from their places. He was getting pretty close… he was sure of it now. Ah, there it was. He grabbed the folder defined, as **Boggs, Randall** and let the space lie barren. Opening it to show the contents, he looked down the different columns and sheets of paper. There was an application form, test results and a detailed contact information graph. _24 Fangs Street _was bold across the page. At least he knew where the lizard monster lived now. Next he looked down to see the telephone number. He took the number into account, since he did not have any pen or notepad with him at the time. He was excellent at remembering things. Placing the folder back into its place and shutting the long outstretched drawer, he left the room confidently and headed towards a nearby phone box. There was always a spare cubicle around Monsters Inc., which would allow you to call in an outstanding situation. This one happened to be **very **nearby. Picking up the headpiece, Fungus punched in the numbers with his Index finger and waited, hearing the dial tone.

Longer and longer he waited. Nobody every did pick the phone up on the other line. Fungus was informed by the automated voice, which allowed you to leave a message. He decided against it. He would rather meet or speak to Randall in person, as this left the anxiety of having a blast at the next day. He also decided to not ring again, in case Randall was asleep and he'd wake up in a very bad mood. The best option would be to go and visit him. It was now or _nev_… The bell rang loud and clear for everyone to hear signalling the end of lunch break. Fungus had a day of moving around canister carts. The usual when your scarer partner was off work for the day. He groaned defiantly and trudged off towards the scare floor. He now had to wait until tomorrow to go and see if Randall was ok. He had a reckless night of shopping ahead of him.

But even so he was forced to do this undoubtedly boring deed, Fungus couldn't get the thought out of his head, that Randall may not be there when he finally got over to his place. But then… _where_ _else_?

* * *

Randall leaned his elbows uncomfortably against a large petrol tank. Nothing intrigued him about this contraption at all… just a device to allow any vehicle to have a guzzling fill of petrol to run on. This had nothing to do with a living reptilian scarer who could breath on his own as long as he had a fresh oxygen supply. But in relative to where he was now, this machine was very important to the occupants. The racer, Lightning McQueen was getting a very heavy refill of gas, and looked overly content with himself. Randall crossed his arms and watched, bored already. He hadn't noticed the mint green coloured car drive out of the building set before his eyes. He was too busy drifting off into his own dreamland.

"Hmm, good grief!" The car exclaimed. Randall nearly jumped out of his scales, before settling down quickly as to not embarrass himself anymore. "Who do you have here Lightning?" The car reversed to set eyes upon the racer.

"Oh this? This is 'Randall'." He replied eagerly. Randall gave him a cold stare, bringing his hefty grin down.

"Well, hey there Randall. You are wanting a top up?" The vehicle smiled at him. Randall averted his eyes.

"Do I look like a car to you?" He snickered. The car looked disrupted by his sudden remark. She then turned soft and smiled at his figure.

"No, not at all… but I bet you are thirsty now right?" Randall couldn't hide the acceptation to this question.

"Yes." He simply said. Turning back round, he caught a final look at the car that was talking to him. She looked to be some type of show car! The fin plates stretched to the sky near the boot and the metal bumper reflected rays of light into any passer-buyers eyes.

"Well, have a take of this honey." The car pushed forward a large oiling can. Randall looked slightly disgusted at the thought of drinking 'this' goo.

"I am seriously not taking one sip of **THAT!**" Randall hollered in the cars face. This time, the vehicle never did once flinch. It was clear he was losing the fear from the inhabitants now. Randall looked down again at the cup and let his tongue fall loose from his mouth. The straw looked inviting, but the condition of what was inside was nearly too much to bear. He was incredibly thirsty though.

Suddenly, striking him out of his wonders, the loud sounding bell of the nearby town hall's clock struck midday. It was lunchtime, and the whole of the town knew it. In a massive blur, all of the town's cars drove quickly up to the free spaces in between all of the stations. They were all certainly a colourful bunch of characters. Some of them, Randall recognised from only a few minutes before. Mater, Doc, Ramone and the pair that he didn't really much like, Guido and Luigi.

"Well, well, well." Doc started, giving a wide smirk. "I think it's time for salutations."

"Salu… what?" Mater asked confused. A police officer car turned to him and explained.

"Salutations Mater is a fancy way of saying hello."

"Oh ok, Sheriff." He grinned. Randall rolled his eyes at the situation. This Mater guy seemed to be always like this. Mostly all of the Cars were looking at him curiously. He looked round at them all, before wondering what was up with the zombies.

"What?" Everybody looked at each other. Finally the old car that had been snoozing a short time ago courageously spoke up to break the everlasting silence.

"He looks just like Big Al."

"Lizzie!" Ramone protested. "The guy never looks like that!"

"Then why are you saying he does you lemon!" She suggested. The older generation could forget quite a lot of the time. It was just life.

"Randall." Lightening perked up from the back row. "I'd like to introduce you to the townsfolk of Radiator Springs." He then proceeded to drive around the long line of Cars.

"Filmore." The large VW bus with graffiti painted all over gave a small greeting. Randall approved with a nod. "Sarge." The Army Jeep looked him over and gave him a quick salute with his windscreen wiper. "Flo." So now Randall knew what that girl was called! She gave a small wink towards him. "Ramone." The low rider chuckled towards him and drove closer to Flo.

"WOAH! Look at ma husband y'all!" Flo cried out. Randall's eyes widened. They were, married? Although it didn't seem impossible for Cars to get married, the idea of this was… 'Weird'. Randall shook it off, not wanting to get involved further and continued to listen to the rookie racer.

"Lizzie." The old car gave a single head nod towards the lizard monster. "Sheriff." How could Randall guess? The police car gave him a nod also, shifting his giant faceplate. Randall thought this instantly looked like some kind of moustache. "Mater." The rusty tow truck gave him a tiny laugh. "Doc." The Hudson Hornet smiled, knowing more about Randall than any of the folk he was being introduced too. "Red." The large fire truck glared down upon him, looking nervous at the scene. Randall cocked an eyebrow.

"Look, I can assure you." He spoke up suddenly. "I'm not going to do **anything bad** to any of you folk here, got it?" Everyone replied with a quick nod to the reptilian scarer.

"Hey, you guys seen Sally anywhere?" Lightening asked. He was answered by the reeling of tyres across dirt as an ocean spray Porsche pulled up alongside him.

"Phew. Sorry I'm late everyone." She confessed. "I had to finish some reservations." She then noticed the lizard monster still pressed up against the station.

"Oh, goodness. Who do we have here?" Randall stepped forward boldly.

"Name's Randall." He announced. She didn't look all that bothered by his appearance, as she simply went round and hooked herself up to a nearby petrol filler.

"Well, hello there Randall." She grinned at his form. Randall smirked back before settling back against his beloved pump.

"So Randall, tell us more about yourself." Doc spoke up.

"Well, what is there to tell? I came here, and now I need to get home. That's all you really need to know right?"

"But, the strange thing is, we've never seen kind like you around here before." Lightning foretold. Randall gave a small laugh.

"It's better it stays that way." He answered.

"But there is so much that we don't know yet." Lightning pleaded.

"It's… It's complicated you see? The place where **I **come from is totally different to this place, I can assure you that." The crowd went silent after that final answer.

"Ok everyone, business hours are to start in a minute." Sheriff declared out loud. Everyone took the message, and each car eventually departed from 'Vlo's V8 Café'. Before leaving Doc drove right up to Randall.

"I've managed to get you a room in the Cozy Cone Motel for the night. Just speak with Sally as soon as you're ready." He then drove off also, back to his very own doctor clinic. Randall's fronds folded down and he visited the thoughts in his thundering head.

'_Nice people_. _Bad judge of personality_.'

* * *

For the rest of the long hours of daylight, Randall explored his surroundings to get a thorough view of what would be his new home for the next couple of days. He was actually quite admiring of how big this little town seemed to be. He'd also taking the liberty of a cool refreshing drink from a nearby, clean spring he had found. He would be sure to revisit that place several times. Soon enough, the Sun had parted down beneath the overpowering cliffs in the distance, and let the world become a quieter place. Randall of course, was exhausted from the day's events and just wanted to get a good nights rest. This also meant **NO **work and **NO **worries… hopefully. The lizard monster was still thinking about how he would get home. To his real home. He didn't belong her, without a doubt. He really needed to try hard on this one to find out if he could return to his lovely apartment and relax. But in the meantime, he had a nice little holiday to contend with. Aside from his fractured leg, everything was going fine.

Strolling into the parking lot, Randall heard the distant calls of chirping crickets, serenading to the nights moon. He had never really noticed the moon that clearly. Tonight it was a disc shaped laminated glow of light. You could even see the indented craters on the surface. Randall smiled at how peaceful tonight really was. Watching all of the flashing neon's down the street, Randall slid into the realms of Sally's office and watched her with curiosity. She looked up and jumped at the sight of the lizard monster.

"Hey, that's my job you know." He cheekily grinned towards the Porsche, taking into account the embarrassed look across her bumper.

"Oh yes, umm…" She was cut short by Randall's sudden slither.

"Doc mentioned you'd booked a room for me. May I have the _key?_" He asked confidently. Sally relaxed on her hinges.

"Oh, we don't use keys. Kind of a 'push and go' thing if you know."

"Oh, right… Well, I'll see you tomorrow then." Randall started to disappear into the night, before he halted sharp. "Umm… **thank you** for the room."

"It was my pleasure. Cone number 13." Sally replied, before involving herself back into her paperwork. Randall then left the office, hearing the clang of the door behind him. Number 13… number 13… AH! There it was, the looming structure of a giant traffic cone. He entered casually before flopping across the giant rug. There was no bed, but the room was inviting all the same. Cars didn't need beds anyway… and neither did he. Randall gazed up to the ceiling of the creamy painted room. Tonight he was determined to get a deep slumber for once in his employment. Before he did so, he reverted across the events and the characters he had met. There were really a whole variety of people in this town. Some nice, some not so nice. But all the same, they cared for each other. Randall had never had somebody to care about… he had been alone for most of his life. A solitary confident, some monsters would call it. But that was him… He was always used to being the outsider. But for the first time in his life, Randall actually thought that he was _wanted_.

* * *

**Authors Note: **Sorry about the wait for this! I hope, since I've finally put this up, that it is satisfying enough for you all :). I've enjoyed writing this Chapter, and like in the last, I hope I feel these characters are believable.

Well, Randall's been introduced to all of the members of Radiator Springs. If you haven't forgotten that in the next Chapter, that day will be Randall's birthday :D. Well, the storyline will be revolving around Lightning's next major race, and well, Randall will play a part in the race. I'm not sure what, but I really want the storyline to be this :).

Well, hope you like my longest chapter yet! Thanks for the reviews and for reading :D.


	6. Surprise

**Chapter 6: Surprise**

The jellybean shape of Randall's scare assistant, Fungus was holstering down the road at a ridiculous pace. His feet made the usual pitter-patter as they hit the pavement and by his facial features, he looked incredibly nervous. He was heading towards his partner's flat, which happened to be situated quite nearby, to Fungus' surprise. Before he'd checked Randall's file yesterday, he hadn't had a clue as to where the lizard monster lived, but now that he had enough information, he had decided to pay him a visit. He was still as curious as the day before, due to the fact he hadn't seen Randall all those 24 hours. Even if he was struck by illness, it was so unlike the lizard monster to be taking a day off! Fungus now regretted the fact that he hadn't questioned Randall's whereabouts or number. If he was in trouble, he wouldn't have anybody except the factory to call, and that isn't a really suitable place to call when you're in a life-threatening situation. As Fungus rounded the corner, he noticed the abrupt change of cleanliness around the area. It looked to be a bit of a scrub and not a very welcoming part of Monstropolis. It was pretty obvious that Randall did not live in the richer parts of the city. Even with his position in Monsters Incorporated, you didn't get very many wages as a scarer. Another accountable fact was that there were a lot of payouts to go round between all of the scarers. This meant on every level, floor and station. Fungus hadn't counted or even been on many other floors except his own, but he knew there were too many to remember individually. Some probably could be brothers or sisters of other monsters working there, which would explain most of the resemblances between some. The assistant bit his fingers with worry and avoided all contact possible with any passing citizens. He now thought that Randall was some type of daredevil living here! He couldn't even walk around without feeling skittish. A group of teenager monsters were gathered around a small clump of sidewalk, hands stuffed into their deep bristles of fur and teeth chewing erratically at bubble gum.

'Don't make eye contact, or they'll know you feel fear.' Fungus told himself repeatedly in his head. He closed his eyes for a minute to finally program the functions of the comment in his head, before continuing onwards. The teenagers looked at him with bored glances, before turning back to look at each other. Fungus was relieved that over… He certainly didn't want to get involved in any fiasco. This would slow him down, and probably earn him a reward, most likely a black eye or a broken toe. Most of the time, he wished that these types of people didn't roam the streets looking for trouble and just stayed indoors playing on their games consoles or doing something spontaneous. But no… the world today was very different from the times he grew up in. Keeping alertness onto each street he happened to wonder on, Fungus wondered why he had been chosen as Randall's partner. Was it just fate, destiny if you may call it, for them to be in support of each other? Or was it just a coincidence that he happened to be working hard on his 'previous' title at the factory and had been promoted with dignity. It was a very complicated thought, and Fungus wished it hadn't crossed his brain.

After around fifteen minutes of walking, Fungus reached Fangs Street and opted immediately to walk straight to the door of Randall's place. Sweeping across the floor, he reached number 24, and walked up the stone plated stairs to reach the carved door. It looked to be very old and was starting to rot around the edges. Not very inviting, but still, his partner called it home. He pushed upon the creaky hinges as it opened inwards to let him inside. The flickering light above distracted his course some way, but he managed to slip inside unnoticed. Going along the first corridor, he noticed it was full of old-fashioned picture frames with replica artworks inside. An unusual choice for a building containing flats. Mind you, this whole place was unusual. You don't usually come across aged buildings full of different homes in one place. Fungus was still chewing one of his fingers from anxiety as he reached what looked like to be the main lobby. Sitting at a desk behind a pane of representing glass was a large, yellow slug type monster. It looked quite bored and unhappy with the calmness of the room, and it did need some type of action to happen sometime soon. Fungus approached, one step at a time, worrying like the monster was going to jump out and attack him. The monster's eyes slowly, but surely turned lazily to gaze at his small form. Fungus' knees started to shake from the deadly silence between them both. Finally, the receptionist broke the strange quiet.

"Can I help you?" A gruffly male voice spat at the assistant. Fungus tapped his fingers together this time, relieving the tiny bits of pain he was receiving from biting down too hard.

"Uhh…" He began. "I'm looking for a Mr. _RRR_andall Boggs." The slug monsters eyes opened wider this time, recognising the full name.

"Randall huh?" Fungus looked hopeful at this comment. This monster definatly knew that Randall lived here. This glimmer of hope was telling Fungus that this monster knew that he was inside his apartment. The monster leaned back in what seemingly was his body's entire, one foot. "He aint' here." Fungus' hopeful face dropped down into utter confusion. He wasn't here? Where the heck was he then! Fungus knew that this monster was going to be of no further help towards him on his quest. But the thoughts kept on repeating inside his head. Where is he? Where is he? Fungus had a deep depth of anxiety building up in his stomach, and he suddenly felt sick. If Randall wasn't here, he now feared the worst had happened to the lizard monster.

"You look a little bit peekish." The receptionist perked up, his eyebrows high in certain concern. Fungus tried to straighten his looks out and simply turned with some difficulty towards the slug.

"I'm _fff_ine, ok?" Fungus assured the monster carefully. "Could you let me into his apartment, please." The slug's face fell, not sure whether to trust this strange monster that appears on the doorstep to his building and asks where he could find a certain reptilian. Another fact that seemed relatively important to him was that he had never seen him here before. This came more of a worry to him because for all he knew, this monster may well be an impostor.

"Are you a relative?" Fungus laughed slightly at this comment and his eyes widened behind his frail glasses. What was he going to do now?

"Uhh, yes. Randall _jj_ust asked me by to pick up some items for him." He smiled widely to gain some trust. Inside, he was mentally kicking himself. Not a very satisfying choice of words for someone with this much brainpower.

"I thought you said you were _looking _for Randall?" The slug monster replied back. Fungus bit his lip, but didn't show any signs of a breakdown.

"Sorry, I have some _aaa_mnesia. Randall is waiting for me to bring him is stuff." The slug's face drooped and he sighed deeply. This monster may not **seem** to be the brightest brick on the block, but he wouldn't be any harm at least if he took a teensy look around.

"Fine. Number 7. Here's the key." The monster preceded to hand Fungus the small, rusty key that looked like it could be used on a giant castle. He toyed with it, passing it from hand to hand for a few seconds. It was kind of heavy, but still workable. Fungus strolled off up the creaky stairs, the wood moaning loudly underneath his weight. These could do with being replaced with some new planks. This didn't exactly look like 'The Ritz' though… Most of the things placed around everywhere were old and dusty. Many carpets were rugged and filthy, full of lurking dust mites and disgusting dirt. The wallpaper on the walls was a sight for sore eyes too. It had started to go mouldy in some places and was also going damp. Most were just strips peeling off, hanging inconsiderably. Once Fungus reached the top of the stairs, he could see rows upon rows of plain, dark stained doors, creepily placed around in the gloomy atmosphere of the hallway. As he walked past them, he could hear the distant buzzing of a static television set and an out of frequency radio. He could also hear voices behind another, laughter behind another… Everyone of the doors seemed to be having some different noise coming out of each. Except for one.

Randall's door was in a deadly silence that could pierce your heart. Nothing was being emitted from the door, not even the every so faint light that escaped underneath the small crooks and crannies. Oh Fungus hoped Randall wouldn't have his head on a platter if he just took a little look around. Left things undisturbed and in there rightful places if he did have to look at something. In that aspect, nobody except that other monster downstairs would know he had been in his apartment. He placed the key in the lock and turned to hear the mechanism work perfectly. Pushing the door inwards, he saw the surroundings for the first time. Aside the window, everywhere else was in darkness. Flicking the light switch, Fungus took a glimpse at Randall's home for the first time. It was not what he expected.

Everything was covered in dust and looked incredibly old. The couch's stuffing was slowly coming out of the split seams between the fabrics. The windows were greasy and mucky, only spilling a few shafts through onto the floor. The T.V set looked like it may have been the new twenty years ago! This appeared to be a small living room with a tiny walk in kitchen over the on the far end of the room. There was a small set of stairs that most likely led up to a bedroom and bathroom. Fungus stepped forward, careful to not uproot anything. He peered around at the objects. Magazines, books, remote… Everything in that way seemed to be normal. But, what thing Fungus couldn't get his head round was the fact that there seemed to be no photos of Randall himself. He just thought the lizard monster bathed in his own glory, but now, that seemed to be more of an 'apparently not'. But… not even a family photo? Of his mother and father? Something seemed to be going on that Fungus did not understand about Randall, and it just wasn't that he had disappeared from sight. It was the fact that it now looked like to him that he **had** no family at all. It was almost kind of… _sad_. A lizard monster that so many people despised of was actually alone in the world. An **orphan**, to adjust to the right phrase.

Well, Fungus had learned that Randall was not here… so his intentions was to get back to work at the factory. He didn't want to push more into the lizard monsters personal life. He'd already dove into the deep end. These thoughts were going to antagonize him all day, which was for sure. But one thing that a lot of people would learn to acknowledge was that there was more to Randall than what met the eye.

* * *

The amber, coloured sky stretched as far as anybody could see, casting a golden glow across the baffling dunes of the desert that made up the landscape. The giant ball of burning gas, known as the Sun, was rising slowly above the hills, awakening from a night of slumber. Many of the residents from Radiator Springs were up and at um at the first sign of daylight. It was a common activity to watch the sunrise there. That was at least one of the beautiful sights of the desert. A rare thought… one of the main killers of the hot areas was the Sun, but yet, it could still be as beautiful as any other thing in the darn world. At the moment, all but a few of the Cars were sitting relaxed in Flo's café, getting a fresh refill of petrol from the awaiting tanks. That way, they'd be ready for the day, and this large refill would usually last them for a while. And who was the one car that wasn't taking a massive relaxing moment? Oh, you may have guessed already. Lightning McQueen.

He couldn't rest. He had to train. Keep on training. For what was Randall's big day today that nobody knew about, McQueen's was on it's way on the next day ahead. His next large race. He hadn't done much practicing yesterday, due to the baffling appearance of a certain lizard monster, so he really needed to catch himself up today, since it was tomorrow! Gosh he was excited. Everybody now looked up to him more and gave him more respect after the good deeds he'd done a month ago. This gave him more momentum than he thought. If he were liked just the way he was, he wouldn't need to bunk his attitude up one bit. Of course, his nerves were all fiery, but who wouldn't be when their big break was coming? This was for the championship, one of the main attires in the history of racing. Yeah, the Piston cup was pretty important to, but this… **this **gave you recognition all across the world and not just in the boundaries of America and California!

A few setbacks, was that Chick was going to be there. Although, one thing that made it slightly better was that Chick wasn't with Dinoco. After Lightning had refused to take the position for helping the King finish his very last race, the King himself had had to choose the rightful candidate. He had chosen Junior, one of his biggest fans and all time followers. He'd figured that he deserved the job, from becoming a small time racer to big brand name representative. So that was that deal settled. Chick had not been happy. **At all. **Like always, his jealousy over the other racers got the best of him. No doubt he was going to try and foil this race's participants and make them crash. _Typical Hicks_. After the big hassle at the Piston cup finals with Chick managing to crash the old time racer, his attire was looked down upon. Lightning was glad that he hadn't crashed down to his level before. Nobody could go lower than Chick Hicks, the cheating, spiteful, Hostile Takeover Bank race vehicle.

Lightning had started to pant now, wearing down from the extensive circuits he had been doing around Willy's Butte. Of course, he was not near as experienced as some more of the racers that were going to race tomorrow, but darn, he would do his best. Never stop trying, but there's more to life than winning. **That** was the words he learnt. It was worth it having an ego like that. He was a ghost of his former, selfish self. Before, he hadn't had a care in the world for the benefit of other cars. He had _real _friends. If sometimes you would call your manager your friend who take's 10 percent of your wages, then you haven't got out enough. Lightning was glad that he now had loads of great friends who would stick up for him the tightest of situations, who'd be there by his bedside if he fell ill or even during a time of hardship. That's what friends were for right?

Lightning kept on going round and round, never once giving up to the tiredness he was feeling in his suspensions and joints. This was the kind of spirit he needed. This was what would keep him going around the racetrack, his determination to keep going. This was what hopefully, would give him the title of 1st place in one of the biggest races in the history of the world.

* * *

The sprawled lilac figurine of Randall was snoozing quite happily. His chest was rising up and down every second in a steady pace, almost in some kind of rhythm. His fronds were drooped over from lack of consciousness and his eyes were completely shut. He wasn't stirring at all. This was one of the few moments that you would find Randall to be at peace with. Escaping off to dreamland was probably a big thing in his eyes. Most people would actually find it disturbing to see Randall in so much content. But of course, people don't know what they do while there asleep. Suddenly, Randall's tail started to twitch viciously, writhing this way and that. It looked like he was in some kind of distress. Suddenly, his hands and feet were writhing too and he started to murmur. His eyes were clenched tightly and his fronds rose up and down. It looked like some kind of… fear. BANG!

He sat straight up. Breathing heavily, Randall looked around the room. Everything was how he had left it. 'Hang on, where am I?' He suddenly realised where he actually was. He was still in that weird dimension with all of those damn cars. Sighing deeply, he ran a careful hand through his fronds making them scatter hyperactively. It was only a dream… A horrible nightmare at that. Of course, his dream contained that all too familiar pair of enemies.

_The world had been spinning at a ridiculous pace on Scare Floor F, continuously going round in an all too fast circle. That damned to hell Wazowski was snickering and laughing hysterically while pointing at Randall himself. Sullivan had been talking to some other monsters, occasionally looking back at him in an odd way. But what was weirdest the most was that everybody else, nearly the entire work line at Monsters Incorporated had been staring at him. A voice that came from the back of the room had clearly spoken with a vicious tone of sound. _

_"I'm glad that Randall Boggs is gone… he is a right menace anyway." It spat with such arrogance. The room erupted into a sound of murmuring and monsters all around nodded their heads in agreement to the statement. "I for one sure hope he doesn't come back." _

Randall opened his eyes from the dream flashback. It had seemingly happened so fast for him! He still lay panting, back as straight as a razor's edge, contemplating the scenario. Was that what people thought of him? A menace? A fiend and full of evil? He wasn't all too sure… Not many people _had _given him the good eye really. Randall had often thought to himself that if he were like the others, he wouldn't like himself either. This was how he was. He couldn't change. Not after what he'd been through already. He didn't like to dwell on the past. His past was sour and not a very nice one. He'd spent his entire life being on his own and not having any friends at all. At school he was frantically bullied all the while for his appearance. His species was definatly not taken kindly by others. Oh no… not the stupid freak of a reptile who everybody hated. This was probably only one of the times Randall felt hurt about what people thought of him. If that dream were true, than maybe it would be better if he didn't go back. Maybe it would be better to the whole world if he didn't exist.

'Shut up you patronizing fool!' His conscience screamed at him. Giving one final sniff at his predicament, Randall got to his feet, wincing in pain. His fractured leg was kind of numb but still as painful as before. Most of the time he had been trying to ignore it, but of course, sometimes that didn't work. He pushed the button to open the wide garage door in front of him. Fresh air flooded in. This cheered Randall's state of mind up a little, but his was still gloomy. He dragged himself forward with every step.

"Well, dag numb, what's wrong there _Randall_?" Mater spoke up, driving towards the purple lizard. His eyes looked comforting and his goofy teeth were curved into a position of pity. Randall looked down at the ground before turning back to Mater.

"Oh, well… I don't know." He admitted. "I don't know if people are supposed to be miserable on there birthday." He immediately regretted that!

"It's your birthday! Well shoot me now!" Mater screamed out, looking surprisingly ballistic. Randall shushed him with a fiery gaze of secrecy in his eyes.

"Keep it down will ya!" He shouted in his face. "I don't want anybody to know!" Mater looked utterly confused at Randall's excuses. His idea of a birthday was everybody gathering round to congratulate you on your special day. This breaking consequence had changed his thoughts about some types of people.

"Why? It's your special day!" Mater whispered slowly. Randall sighed before emphasising with his arms.

"Look, I already have enough on my plate already without people bothering me about my birthday." His mind raced back to the two incidents before, where people had sent their best wishes onto him. It disturbed him. He wasn't used to this kind of pity before. Patronisation was something that Randall did not consider to be a well being. He more admitted to viewing it as a weakness.

"Fine." Mater finally said after the rather short silence between them both. He drove off, not saying another word to the lizard monster. Randall felt the rising feeling of suspicion, but what could this slack short idiot do? Oh well… this was where he was wrong. Mater had a plan. A plan that would indeed cheer his so-called new 'friend' up. He was sure it would work. It worked a charm on all the other cars in the town, so who's to say an outsider would take it differently. So there he was, driving off with a very cheeky grin plastered across his bumper.

* * *

Lightning finally retreated into the cool surrounding shade of Flo's V8 café. Beads of oil started to drip slowly from his brows and his body dragged helplessly like a sodden blanket. These were all the tell tale signs that he had just done the most hardest work shift in his life. A training period that would surely make him fit as a fiddle for his very big day tomorrow. He was glad to see the recognizable faces of his pals already next to the filling tanks. Randall was here too. Since he knew that this 'monster' knew nothing about his tasks, Lightning was pretty sure that he was going to receive and enquirer. And boy, was his premonition correct.

"You look like you've just been to hell and back." Randall sarcastically smirked towards his straining suspensions. He may well have been.

"Oh, uh, sorry… Um, I forgot to tell you about this." Lightning with drawled backwards at this point, unsure of what to expect. Randall raised an eye lid.

"What? Spit it out rookie." His tail's end flinched expectantly. Lightning's eyes flew around the room, waiting for somebody else to take the leader's seat.

"Um, I've been uh, **training**."Randall looked a little casual at this, knowing he was a race car. But even with this knowledge, he asked one of the most dumbest questions in the history of dumb questions.

"For what?" He drawled. Lightning eased up his joints.

"My race." He replied simply. "My big race. **Tomorrow **is the big day, so I um, have to keep my strength up. You know with all this low oil intake." He immediately grabbed the nearest oilcan and sucked hard. Randall looked slightly disgusted at the loud slurping but was annoyed at the aspect that he hadn't been told about this sooner. Flo came out of her nearby building and sniffed the morning's fresh summer air.

"Phew, anybody needing another drink out here y'all?" Everybody shook their heads to her question. Except for one.

"Do you serve coffee?" Randall enquired, too hopeful. It was his darn right favourite beverage that would fill you up to the brim and give you enough energy to last throughout the day. It was still an unappealing thought to know the only available drink except water was oil. He was also darn right hungry. There was nothing to eat. Nothing at all. What did cars eat? Oh, oil… again. Oil consisted of breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper, snack and drink. **EVERYTHING **they drank was oil. Nothing more nothing less. Flo just decently shook her bonnet back at the lizard monster. Randall sighed expectantly. He surely was not going to get what he wanted, at least not in this very dimension.

"Somebody surely looks stressed out today." Upped Sally as she drove nosily from her hidden position around the tight corner. She had one of her trademark smiles splashed across her face and looked extremely satisfied with herself for noticing Randall's change of mood. He of course was not the least bit impressed with anybody around here.

"Let's get something straight here lady!" Randall pointed a dangerous finger towards the ocean blue Porsche. "I am not here to be humiliated and tortured. I get enough of that anyway." He snarled viciously towards her. "I did not choose to come here and my top priority is too get home! I do not, I repeat, **do not **get stressed out by a bunch of stupid cars!" He huffed back down into the back row, grunting with vigilance at the other cars looking at him with strange expressions. Mater was being his usual self and decided to go further more into the lizard's private business back at his own home.

"You get, uh, what?" He questioned, dumbfounded by the sudden blast of words. Randall could feel his blood begin to boil uncontrollably underneath his scaly skin. Unknown to him, his fronds were drooping lower and lower down to the back of his head. Maybe even, he was changing into a deep blossom of red, just expressing how furious he was that these cars could not get what he so simply pointed out to them.

"And will you **please **keep your annoyingly large, uh…" He paused for a second. "_Bumpers_ out of my life! You have no right to invade in my personal situations!" This was one very unhappy Randall Boggs. The vehicles looked at each other, the sweeping wind across the plain only being heard for a couple of seconds. Tumbleweed drifted by in the breeze. Then, they all laughed.

They laughed like they had never laughed before at what would usually be a very serious incident. This was no good for Randall, who had completely giving up trying altogether.

"You should take a drive Boggs. You look like the right person to go in the fast lane." Sally spoke quietly as to not be heard by the other cars around them. Randall looked down at his body to find that he had turned into a sunburnt red. He kicked himself in his thoughts and changed back into his deep shade of lilac. That was enough embarrassment for one day, especially if that day was his birthday.

"And how exactly is that _possible _with somebody like me?" Randall confided towards the female car. "I mean, look at these feet. I have no, uh _wheels_ or _tyres_." Sally grinned definatly at the monster who reached up to her windscreen.

"Nothing's impossible when you put your mind too it you know." Randall scoffed a little at her choice of words. Of course things were impossible! Was it possible to change somebody into a different shape and then completely turn them back to normal? NO! So what was the sense in saying something like that? It was not impossible for Randall to take a drive. "I suggest you climb aboard." Randall was taken aback at first. Nobody had ever asked him something exhilarating before? He was not the favourite amongst the other employee's that worked their long hours at Monsters Incorporated. They usually would not have a grump like Randall Boggs come to the most exciting Monster Truck Rally of the decade. Randall always believed he was not interested in the sport itself. He paced forwards, cautious that the car would do something to give him another back answer of no. The sea-blue Porsche did not mention another word, but continued to grin at his reptilian face. He raised an eyebrow and did not stop again. He placed one of his suction cup fingers onto her back. The feeling of the metal seemed to be warm from the ongoing light and inviting. He gently eased his entire body onto her back, twisting at some of his seams to make sure that he could fit his entire 12-foot long coils onto her. Where he was lying was comfortable, but the entire idea of riding along at fast speeds was making his stomach a little queasy. He tried not to show any of the rising nauseous fear that almost every time, overtook him completely. He gulped it back down. This was it…

The ocean Porsche scratched her tyres against the sand as she drifted towards the main road leading straight through the middle of the town. Randall felt awkwardly strange, as if revisiting a memory long forgotten in the back of his mind. This slow pace made him actually feel like his body was beginning to soar up into the air. He could fly, he knew he could. He'd glide amongst the glinting sun, through the puffy, white clouds and soar on the endless drafts of wind that would build up in momentum for a few seconds. Sally curved gracefully round to focus entirely on the stretch of tarmac in front of her. The land was so still; you could hear her soft, shallow breaths. The moment was very relaxing for Randall, and he swore that he could almost instantly fall into the deepest sleep he had had in years, and probably not wake up from the joy. The pathway was of course, clear.

"Are you ready?" Sally asked confidently. Randall knew that if he answered no, they were still going to zoom off into the distance anyway. Plus, he would look like a coward if he backed out now, and Randall's beaming pride would not allow of a dastardly deed like that.

"As I'll ever be." He whispered in a raspy voice to the car. Sally drew a deep breath, filling her tank with glorious air. She savoured the moment. Then they were off. It started slow at first, like seconds before when they had pulled round, but gradually, their pace got faster. The signs on the side of the road started to fly by in a blur and became impossible to read in a glimpse. If you were to try and stare ever more closely at these attachments, you would certainly feel the sickness rising from your belly. The air resistance was the most rapid fallback of the drive. It slapped and tore at your face, wanting to rip you up into a million pieces. This was the toughest part of going at a fast speed, and only the master drivers could withstand this withdrawing part. Upon the sunroof of the Porsche, Randall felt like he was running across that of an airstrip, a bulbous, chunky plane ready to jump up into the sky. At least it was certainly similar to that situation. Sally made a sharp turn to get past the obscuring town hall and this was where the fun began for the both of them.

Randall started to slip off of the top of the car, his chubby fingers failing to do their purpose. His eyes widened in surprise and he tried to get an even better grip on her back. The overcoming feeling of sliding off and being flung onto the road, particularly with injuries already like his fractured foot, was too much for Randall to bear, so he had to grasp on with all the defenses he had built in him. His tail curled up across his body, ready to hang onto anything else that was raised up on the car. Sally was laughing, almost as if she could see the reptile looking frightened by the perilous journey. Randall gathered his bravery and tried to keep a straight face. They were passing through a large forest now, branches hanging low over the top of her brim. Randall thought it would be best if he kept his head on top of Sally's front instead of rising every so slightly. This would possibly help him not to get hit in the face by an opposing tree branch. The scene appeared to be incredible though… the blaring trees trying to block out of the sunlight, but tiny shafts still able to slip between the thin leaves. He looked onward to the open land and saw an enormous cliff obscuring the coming view. He lifted his head further off of the Porsche and tried to knock the booty out of the feeling of being smaller. A little mistake for the reptilian monster…

A luke-warm liquid splashed across the brim of his face. He felt the invasion instantly and let out a dignified splutter of disgust. Sally began to laugh out loud at the reptile's profound hate to bad happenings. She had accidentally ran over a puddle of water, evidentially the same puddle that she had splashed her friend Lightning with a few long months before. Randall tried to reach out with his thin arms to wipe his face and clear it of the wetness. They were going at a too faster speed for him to succeed in this, and he just decided to lay back and keep quiet instead. After all, it was just water.

The light was blocked by the sudden appearance of filtration. They were now passing through the only available entrance and exit to the cliff he had seen seconds before. His accident had distracted him from this fact. Randall was in the thought that on the other side of this gloomy, looking tunnel, there was a glorious sight to behold. And so right was the lizard monster. The crystal clear waterfall poured down into a meandering river below, creating a marvellous wall of fresh liquid. With the bright light shining down into the small droplets cascading down, it created a truly stunning effect of sparkles surrounding the rocks. He was so in awe that he could not speak at all. He watched with interest, curiosity and amazement, that nature could be this beautiful.

Below him, Sally was smiling to herself, knowing that Randall had the same look she had when she had first visited this amazing place. How she could not had afforded Randall to miss a treat like this. Something puzzled her about him though… why did he act so arrogant around some of her friends, that her done absolutely nothing bad to him at all? Was it just a common feature of this strange newcomer to treat others with little respect? Then she thought about Randall's own, strange world… what would it be like? Would it be like this world, full of discoveries? Most of all, how did Randall behaviour in that world. Did he behaviour with a more polite manner, or maybe… slightly more vicious. Practically, she did not know hardly anything about this stranger and they had all taken him in from the goodness of their hearts. Randall had thanked her of course, but his attitude towards other people was certainly not like that of a normal, caring person who showed complete gratitude back. Had something happened in the life Randall Boggs that had changed him to become like this? Sally did not know if she had the heart to ask Randall that question, and decided to keep it to herself until later on.

They had arrived. The place that Sally viewed herself, to be incredibly special and remembered in the heart: the re-built glamour and wondrous architecture of the Wheel Well Motel. Sally remembered that only a few months ago, the building had been in complete tatters and hardly looked like much. Now, everything was new and returned to the former spectacle. How amazing the building looked on the perch of the cliff. Randall, on top of Sally still, was looking at it solemnly. He felt some warmth drifting from the inside of the structure, not by central heating, but by comfort. He had not even contemplated that him and Sally were finally in a halt. This feeling inside of him confused him. It was something he had not felt in a long, long time, and it was something, that used to remind him of some sorrow or sadness. But now, this old feeling was being replaced by happiness and gratitude. But for what? How could he be happy about seemingly nothing? Something about this place, made him feel content and at ease with himself. How inside, he wished that he could feel like this when he was back at home inside his apartment. Nevertheless, he could not at all. All he had was his work. It was his constant working that had made him turn into such a grump, and when the holidays happened to come along, he had nothing to do or any places to go. He had nobody, and might as well have been a nobody.

After what had seemed like an eternity of birds chirping, Randall finally climbed down off of the back of the blue Porsche and folded his arms comfortably. He stared at the building constantly, trying to make his mind work to figure out what this new obsession was. He looked up at the large border.

"Wheel well." He murmured out loud, not caring if anybody heard. Sally looked at the purple monster.

"Yep…" She breathed out slowly. "Old Wheel Well motel… Been here for decades you know." Randall glanced over to her.

"What was this place like before, then? If it's been here for 'decades', it's bound to have been refurbished or something." Sally's smile disappeared for a few seconds.

"Oh, it used to be this incredible ages ago. But, you could say that a couple of years back, the downfall to this place came." She told her story in slow, understandable words. "Business in the entire town started to go slow after the construction of that fancy little interstate down there." She pointed with her wheel to the drop ahead, showing the breathtaking view of Radiator Springs and the whole Californian land. Randall raised his eyelid. "Eventually, it was in ruins. Cars who had lived here for years finally left to find business elsewhere and Route 66 was left as a shadow." Her eyes became soft at the mention of the desperate times. "But then… _he _happened to this town, and it was saved and put back onto the map." Randall looked around the area, not entirely sure who Sally was speaking about.

"He?" He questioned slowly, not wanting to make a fool of himself. Sally glanced towards the floor and smiled deeply. The mere thought of the car enlightened her heart.

"Lightning… Lightning McQueen happened." She spoke with admiration at the rookie racecar. Randall sighed and leaned back towards his rump, curving his flexible vertebrae. He tapped his toes on the floor while he spoke, almost as if he was a small bit jealous of the mention of the vehicle.

"You have a thing for him, don't ya?" He asked in a short rush of words. Randall, even though he never really hanged around with all of the big high school jocks or the other tough guys in his earlier days, knew a soft spot and love when he saw it. Sally looked towards him and eyed his body down, pondering her thoughts about the reptile.

"Where do you come from…" She started unasserted by the typical attitude and behaviour of the monster before her. Randall's fronds rose at the start of the question. "Is it… uh, like here, or, is it very different?" She finished finally. Randall reached with one of his arms and stroked his other arm, finding himself between a rock and a hard place. He did not know whether to spill the beans about his own world to the car in front of him. She had been extremely honest towards him, so maybe it was _nice _for him to show some trust and assurance to her back. The reptilian sighed and closed his eyes for a second.

"Where I come from… it's **different**." He began, knowing this was going to be a very uncomfortable story ahead of him. "Everybody around you is **different **and it's hard to find somebody that's exactly the same as you are. If that is a good thing to you or your other buddy's." Sally chuckled quietly to herself about this. "I wouldn't say I'm exactly **welcomed **with open arms where I come from. Everybody here just seems to be in harmony with each other." He blurted out fast from the staring eyes upon him. Sally looked a little taken aback by his words.

"We're not all in harmony, Randall. Some of us don't get along. It's just not many of us in this town are like that. This uh _world _has it's problems too, aswell as your world." Randall did not look at all changed by this extra information, but took it into his mind anyhow. She noticed this and decided to ask him another one of her tiny thoughts. "Do you always act like this?" The reptile monsters plumes became straight and his face became shocked.

"What kind of a question is that?" He fumed at the ocean car. He was full of silence for a few short moments more, knowing that he had to tell her the answer.

"I know…" He reassured her suggestion. "I know you don't like me at all for the way I am. It's been a long time since I used to be _sane _and have respect for anybody else. Now from my experience, you cannot put all of your trust and secrets into anybody because they are just going to erase from your life one day anyway. I've lived my way in the world so far, and I can do just fine on my own!" He blabbed out the last few words and became deathly silenced again. Sally's eyes became worried and tried to be comforting to the monster in front of her. What had happened to him for him to say something like that? Happiness may have been a rare necessity for the reptile, which seemed to be a rough being who had no consideration for anybody else but himself. But was that all he had ever known? Did he know the doings between right and wrong because the people who he had been with did not do the job right? Or maybe, the people he had been with were not the people he had supposed to be with… The final pieces of the puzzle were now fitting together, and Sally felt something strange inside of her for the lizard monster… sorrow. The lizard monster looked to be in a deep state of concentration and stared down at the floor, arms crossed and face emotionless. Sally moved carefully up to the side of the lilac lizard and looked into the coloured, emerald irises that seemed to be hiding a deep secret behind them. How beautiful he did look in the setting.

"Whatever happened to you." She began slowly, careful not to upset Randall in any way whatsoever. "I'm very sorry and I want to let you know, that I care for you." Her voice was full of honesty and consolation. Randall looked up into the car's bright aqua eyes and tried to smile a warm thankfulness back. He placed one of his padded fingers on top of the smooth metal bonnet of the dazzling blue car and grinned down at her.

"Thank you." His hoarse voice told her back. "For being a friend." And the two entirely different persons spent the rest of the day together, contemplating their differences and enjoying the breathtaking scenery. Randall had found, for what he considered, his first true friend.

* * *

The two most unlikely of true natured friends stood on the outskirts of Radiator Springs. The entire day, for them, had been one of the most enjoyable and peaceful. Randall, who of course had his very special day today and had still not mentioned another word of it around but to Mater, felt like this was actually one of the most harmonious moments of his entire life. For just one day of his life, he had not received any of the usual taunts and insults that he usually would get. He had also discovered one of the many important meanings of life… friendship to somebody who cared and understood him. This was a rare opportunity to someone who most viewed as having an ecosystem full of venom and hatred. But no. The lilac reptilian did have feelings to give to the people who made no attempt to reach to his bad side. Cast away the bad popularity Randall had, and you had a considerate person.

For now, the sun was stretching the last of the gossamer rays across the sky and was gently being lowered by an unseen force behind the landscape. It seemed as though the whole world was waving goodbye to the ball of gas that bought light every day. Dusk was one of Randall's favourite times of the day… it was another tranquil moment that seemed to be out of the usual business. For one thing, he had never really had the guts to rise up in the early morning hours to watch the sun come back. Saying goodbye to him was quite a hard task to do, as he had had to do it more often than most people in his short life. Saying hello to somebody was easy, because it was a new start for the, but still a boring old lifestyle for the person saying hello to the newcomer's. In the future, Randall was sure that he would try and make his life change for the good of reality. Make his days work in a way that he wanted and keep them in memory. The good times were great things to look back over in ones mind, but Randall hardly did have any, so for the best he could, he was still able to make some. What was to happen to him for the rest of the closing hours, would reside in his mind forever.

"Randall." Sally caught his attention rapidly after they finally reached the long stretch of road through the small town. "I have to admit, that I have really enjoyed your company today." She beamed apologetically back towards the monster, but found that Randall raised his hands to stop her.

"Don't be sorry about it." He spoke with a rational tone. "I have enjoyed your company too. I don't usually have these opportunities back **home.**" Sally sighed before driving off down the road. Randall could not help, but smile after her vehicle shape. He took in a breath of fresh, country air, before proceeding down the road towards the Cozy Cone Motel.

'Well, could your birthday have gotten any better than this?' He thought too himself. He chuckled to himself and continued onwards. Something around him was different than to what it had been the night before… Then he picked up on the scenery. There was not a single car in sight. Where was everybody? He raised an eyebrow and strolled forwards like an investigator. There had to be some rational explanation to this strange quietness. He rounded the corner into the beloved hotel.

"**SURPRISE!**" Hollered a whole crowd of voices. Randall nearly jumped out of his scales! He slithered backwards, mouth agape and fronds hyperactively wild. "**HAPPY BIRTHDAY!**" The whole gathering of assorted vehicles shouted at him crazily. Randall looked a picture. His beady eyes stared at the long table surrounding the area with many items of food that their kind would consider edible. Attractively of all, was the massive stage at the back of the complex with two booming speakers on each side and bright, shining lights with spotlights covering the glinting vehicles in a huge crowd. Randall started to laugh loudly and nearly everybody else joined in.

"This had to happen didn't it?" He laughed uncontrollably. He pushed his way through the large crowd towards the rusty outline of tow truck Mater. The tow truck, who erupted into a cheeky, goofy grin at the lizard monster, backed away slowly, waiting for an oncoming outburst from him. "You, you, you…" Randall giggled quietly. "Thank you." He finally whispered to the gob smacked truck. The truck chortled back at him.

"Hey, it's ya birthday, an everyone deserves to party!" He exclaimed. He licked his two out struck teeth with his long, pink tongue and emitted a bright idea towards the already thankful monster. "Hey! Since it's ya birthday and all, you have to be the first on karaoke!" Randall's smile disappeared. He could not sing a note!

"No, no, no…" He pleaded back towards him, desperate to save himself the embarrassment. "Let Lightning do it." Mater shook his head and drove backwards.

"It's a tradition, Randall." He grinned cheekily, knowing he had overcome the lizard monster. Randall sighed and followed onwards like a dog in tow. He had no other choice but to perform in front of the entire town. This needed to be quick and painless, for now Randall's brain searched for a song that would fit in with his own being perfectly. After all, like Mater said, it was his own day. Loud voices quietened down, as Randall was the main centre of attention, an aspect unusual to the lizard monster. The randomised music rang out across the plain in the background and Randall began to sing with the best voice he had within:

_On her way to work one morning_

_Down the path along side the lake_

_A tender hearted woman saw a poor half frozen snake_

_His purple coloured skin had been all frosted with the dew_

_"Oh well" she cried "I'll take you in and I'll take care of you"_

_"Fear me now oh tender woman_

_Fear me now, for heaven's sake_

_Fear me now oh tender woman cus I am the Snake"_

_She trapped him up in dozy in bondages of silk_

_And then laid him by the fireside, with some money and some milk_

_Now she hurried home from work that night as soon as she arrived_

_She found that pretty snake she'd taken in had been revived_

_"Fear me now oh tender woman_

_Fear me now, for heaven's sake_

_Fear me now oh tender woman cus I am the Snake" _

_Now she clutched him to her bosom, "You're so beautiful" she cried_

_"But if I hadn't brought you in by now you might have died"_

_Now she stroked his pretty skin and then kissed and held him tight_

_But instead of saying thats, that snake gave her a vicious fright_

_"Fear me now, oh tender woman _

_Fear me now, for heaven's sake_

_Fear me now oh tender woman cus I am the Snake"_

_"I saved you" Cried that woman _

_"And you've bit me even, why?_

_You know your bite is poisonous and now I'm going to die"_

_"Oh shut up, silly woman" said the reptile with a grin_

_"You knew damn well I warned you so before you took me in."_

_"Fear me now, oh tender woman_

_Fear me now, for heaven's sake_

_Fear me now oh tender woman cus I am the SSSnake!"_

The dusk was broken by the sound of erupted applause. Cars whistled and fumed their exhaust with powerful enthusiasm. Randall looked a little surprised that he was getting this many compliments from cars, because of his seemingly awful singing voice. 'Maybe I'm not so bad at this then I originally thought' He thought to himself. Everybody seemed to be enjoying the night, so for some of the lizard monsters own enjoyment and enthusiasm about the performance, he added some bits in of his own.

"Thank you very much to the people of Radiator Springs for giving me a birthday worth celebrating!" He blared into the fuzzy microphone, giving off some interference faults. Everybody continued his or her favouritism applauds and carried on into the brink of dark. In the fading light, a solemn green figure drove into the area at the back of the masses of vehicles. His eyes were full of sarcasm and preferably disgust. This car did not have much respect from others, not like the valued citizens of Radiator Springs that resided there nearly all the while. No, this car was what some people would call the bad guy, and he always definitely seemed to be the bad guy…

"Well this is just, pfft…" He rang out over the loud screaming and shouting. "I think words speak for itself… sad?" The car moved forwards towards the circular lights shining down upon the paved tarmac. Lightining, who was hidden amongst the back of the crowd, knew by the sound of this male car's voice who this was. What the heck was he doing here in **his**town? He'd also had the nerve to make a comment about the party the whole town had thrown for their new friend! Something needed to be done and fast before he got too carried away. He was not welcome here, and Lightning was determined to show it.

"Chick Hicks… you sly dog." He called out towards the pea green racecar that was moving through the gap the several cars had made for him. The car didn't look all taken aback and just grinned mischievously when he saw the red shape moving towards him. He, in turn, also knew exactly who **this **car was.

"Lightning McQueen. We meet again. You know, I haven't seen you around since the Piston cup, so I suppose this is a greeting from an old friend." His moustache type bumper moved everytime he spoke, becoming a distraction for many cars.

"Your far from a friend Hicks. You could very well have been charged with _attempted murder _for what you did. And yet here you are, free and not serving anything for what you did." He replied venomously. "Your not welcome here Chicks. I suggest you leave right now."

"Aww. You've broken my heart McQueen." He answered sarcastically.

"Who the heck do you think you are, amateur!" Randall shouted towards the unknown car to him. He had slipped off the stage, camouflaged brilliantly against the area and had snuck up behind Chick Hicks. The car looked surprised by the strange form and shape of Randall. Lightning also wondered what the heck had happened. Randal was determined to not let his attitude fly down. This guy looked trouble.

"Well, well, well… **what **do we have here, huh?" Chick eyed the lizard monster down with savage eyes. Randall narrowed his eyes into the furious slits and growled deeply in his throat.

"Its Boggs to you, dumb barge." He sneered at the lowly figure of Chick. The car just chuckled grimly at the monster. He did not view Randall as a threat at all. He continued on, ignoring the gleaming eyes of one mad Randall.

"Well, we all know who's going to win _this _race don't we Lightning?" Lightning McQueen just glared at him back, not wanting to answer his crude comments.

"Why don't you get lost green pea." Randall growled at Chick menacingly. Being a hard worker himself, Randall knew what it was like to get put down by other peers. Chick's windscreen narrowed at the sight of the obstructing lizard. He did not like that comment at all. But nevertheless, he beamed straight afterwards.

"Well, I'd better be on the way to California. After all, I'm going to be _smooching _the crowd."

"Oh, I wouldn't count on that." Lightning perked up immediately. "After all, you almost destroyed one of the most legendary racers in the history of racing, so maybe people wouldn't be wanting you back all too soon, _Chick_." Chick's face fell into a glare and he decided to not push the matter any further.

"I'll see you tomorrow McQueen. Enjoy the moments you have left." And with not a single comment by his intruding voice, Chick drove off into the parching desert and onto the rough interstate. Everybody watched him leave, with a glad riddance that he had finally gone. Nobody particularly wanted anything to do with him anymore after the accident, but Hostile Takeaway Bank had given him one last chance. Chick sure better hope that he wouldn't spoil his chance this time and cheat, since besides the fact that McQueen was all in for fair glory, Chick would surely be cast out of the racing business. Randall scoffed aloud.

"And I was right when I thought 'Chick' was a nickname for women." Everybody burst out laughing at his randomised comment and Randall gave a few minor laughs. "I wouldn't worry about him Lightning. You never have been by the looks of things. He's like some punks I know… always trying to drag you down to the ground when you feel so high up." Lightning nodded on his suspensions at the lizard monster. "We'll show _him _Lightning… we _both _will."

* * *

**Authors Note: **I am so extremely sorry that this has taken **this **long to get this chapter up. I hope this is satisfying since this comes in at a colossal 10,000 words :O. The reason it takes me so long to upload chapters, is because I think that I need to include what I think is suitable for each and not just end a chapter at each little separate scene. Thank goodness for lines... Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter, because I think this is my favorite yet. It brings out a different side in Randall. You can tell his become very accustomed over the two days he's been in Radiator Springs.

Adding on, the next chapter is Lightning's big race and will include the main moment of the story! Don't expect it to be around anytime soon... I'm putting my best work into this story and I still am really enjoying writing it!

The song that Randall sings is **Al Wilson - The Snake**, an old 60's Northern Soul song that I thought suited Randall particularly well for some reason :D. I've changed the lyrics around to fit it to Randall's personality and how he would sing it.


	7. The Day Has Come

**Chapter 7 – The Day Has Come**

Sulley, abbreviating, wiped the forthcoming sweat from his furry brow. His muscles burned with an aching long ness to rest from the ordeal he had been put through. His breathing was unsettled and missing a few beats in some places. The giant monster was entirely beat. The serenading tune of the lunch bell was an absolute joy to here, and he could not wait to sit down with a lovely hot meal in his palms and gobble his troubles away, along with the rest of his questioning thoughts. He plodded next to his rather stout, olive friend over to the nearby lunchroom and plumped down onto the nearest bench he could get too. He sighed almost continuously and leaned his head down onto the table, entwining his arms around himself. Mike looked almost as tired as his giant furry friend, but kept himself calmer and awake, unlike his now snoozing roommate. He was also beginning to get a headache, and rubbed the top of his forehead violently, trying to rid of the annoying pain. They would sure climb to the top now! That unlocked a more sensitive thought inside Mike's rather tiny brain. Not that he really cared what was happening to _him _but anybody was always free to wonder why such a, if Mike could say the word truthfully he would, _loyal _employee would take such a massive amount of time off work. If anybody was to look at Mike's thoughts and compare them to the monster he was thinking about, people would think it looked odd to even be this bad to think about. The question was, _where was Randall Boggs?_

It had now been a full two days since the ball type monster had set eye upon the slick lizard. Before, except for the Sunday off of course and the holidays that Monsters Inc happened to give in generosity to it's employees, there had not been a day gone by that Mike had not seen Randall show up for work. Mike initially thought he would have jumped at the opportunity for Randall not to come to work and make their own work experience a lot easier, having no real competition itching to get at them to make themselves top or even try to reach out an achieve the all time scare record. Randall was the only other monster that was ever an enemy or real opposition against them. But now, Mike was just puzzled by the fact that Randall had not turned up at all. The more stranger to add to the equation was the fact that he had not even phoned up his own beloved girlfriend, Celia, to tell her that he was either sick or just not bothering to come into work for some stupid reason. Mike's more childish half was asking what the heck he was doing thinking about that 'lizard boy' in such a way, but the tinier half of Mike that had some sensible attitude enweaved within him, was shouting to do something and find out what had happened.

"Sul." He whispered loudly to his partner. Sulley murmured something before drifting back to sleep again. Mike was getting slightly annoyed. "Sul! Wake up!" Sulley snorted, making a few monsters twist to look at the intruder making the rude noise. Mike just rolled his one eye and shook his furry arm to try and wake him further. "Sul, do you think it's been odd that Randall hasn't been coming into work recently?" He asked so serious and thoughtful. Sulley raised one furry eyebrow and looked at him strangely. "What did I do!?" Mike raised his voice innocently.

"You." Sulley pointed out with curiosity. "For once, you're talking about Randall seriously. And… you didn't call him lizard boy either. And I thought you didn't care about him?" Sullivan plainly explained, confirming Mike's thoughts that his friend would answer in that composition.

"Well… it's good having some competition. It's just; it hasn't felt the same without him on the floor. I don't miss him or anything, I just want to know." Sulley's eyes narrowed at his side of the story, but in his own head, he agreed with Mike. He had been feeling the same as Mike had… wanting to know why Mr Never Miss A Day had not checked in, in two days.

"I think the only two people who would know would be Celia and Fungus." He suggested. "Or Waternoose." He added on quickly.

"Celia hasn't heard anything, so… do you think our best bet is to go and speak with Fungus about him?"

"Probably so… after all, Fungus IS Randall's loyalassistant." The 8foot tall monster arose from the bench, rubbing his forehead once again to rid of the residue still wetting his brow. Mike rose soon afterwards, and the pair set off on foot to try and find Fungus. "He's probably still down in the basement with the scream canisters." Sulley thought aloud, noticing that he had not seen Fungus in the lunch hall the whole time they had been there.

The steam from the pipes brought warmth to the winding basements of Monsters Incorporated, and the hisses that it bought with them sounded like a dozen snakes sounding off simultaneously. Workers plodded along, trundling with them large trolleys either completely empty, or stocked with heavy, yellow, clanging scream canisters. As Sulley and Mike rounded a bend in the tunnel, they took sight upon a red, jellybean shaped figure at the end of the corridor. Their faces brightened as they recognised that it was Fungus. They jogged the rest of the way up to the concentrating red blur, but worried looks still plagued their faces. Fungus looked to be unloading the contents of scream from the canisters, deeply focusing on his job.

"Hey, Fungus?" Sulley called out to him. Fungus shivered in shock and dropped the canister he had been holding. Luckily, no scream escaped the canister and he breathed a sigh of relief. He turned around to face the two different monsters face to face.

"Uh,_ hhhey _you two. What are you doing down here?" He asked, bewildered by the monsters' presence in the depths of the factory. Mike raised his brow and decided to ask him confidently.

"We came to ask you about…" He paused for a few seconds, the hissing surrounding them all. "Randall. We came to ask you about Randall." He finished entirely. Fungus looked puzzled also at the eyeball's question.

"Uh, what about Randall? What do you want to know?"

"We've been, confused…" Sullivan proceeded, not knowing which right word to put in his sentence. "… about Randall's disappearance. We came to ask you to clear things up, to ask where he might by, or actually is, if that makes sense to you." He cleared his throat quietly afterwards, and Fungus' face fell.

"I think we should go some place, more uh, quieter to speak about this." Fungus suggested, and the two other monsters nodded. They followed in tow as Fungus exited the dooms of the undergrowth and strolled round into a quiet and unoccupied office block. Fungus took a deep breath and gulped a lump back down his throat. "I honestly, do not have the faintest idea where Randall has gone." Fungus confided in the pair with true honesty. Mike and Sulley turned each heads to stare each other right in the large, now almost bulging eyes. They were filled with the utmost of worry now, and a sick feeling to each other's stomachs arrived.

"You don't?" Mike managed to splutter out, before clearing his own throat.

Fungus could only shake his head through his own worry. "Well, what's going on? Where the heck could he have gone?"

"I don't have any idea. I even went to his, uh, own apartment and checked there. It looks like he hasn't been **there **for two whole days either!" Fungus exclaimed rather loudly.

"This has just got very serious and horribly wrong." Sullivan explained, knowing everyone else there agreed. Now he did not know what to think about Randall. Had something terrible happened to him, so that was how he was not able to contact? Anything could happen to a person so 'insecure' as Randall Boggs.

"Randall Boggs may no longer be a problem to any of you." A grandfather voice entered every body's ears and they all turned to see they're all time boss Henry J. Waternoose. Fungus became confused at Waternoose's words. '_No longer a problem?_' Everybody was in a deathly silence for nearly a minute. Nobody could distrait this shock, coming from the mouth of their own boss who the threesome had thought was a kind and caring gentlemen. Now they were not so sure at all, for somebody needed to have a true grudge against another person to say something as sinister as that.

"Sir." Fungus began, stepping forward bravely, his stutter now fading into darkness. "Mr Boggs was never a problem to me. He is my scaring partner. I am loyal to him through this whole career. I would never put away any trust in him now. I need to know where he is sir, and it doesn't matter to me how far this is going to go. I just need to know that he is safe and coming back to Monsters Incorporated soon." Fungus finished with a hunger in his mind for the truth behind Randall's sudden disappearance. He knew for sure, that Waternoose knew where he was, and had put 100 percent of the truth into his speech to his boss.

Henry sighed through all the bother and tipped forward on his crabby legs, crustacean body crinkling and grinding all the way. The threesome listened intently to what the old CEO was going to tell them.

"The reason Randall Boggs is missing is because he did not listen to a word I told him. He disobeyed my direct orders and proceeded with a hinting curiosity that allowed him to enter a different world. Different to the world of the humans. Inhabited by god knows what. I was ordered to destroy this door, to my knowledge, I did not know that Boggs himself would dare go through the door when I told him to stay away and keep his rather large nose out of other people's business. The cunning scaly slipped through the door like an idiot and I shredded that door through orders yesterday. For I am glad to be rid of that outcast of a monster, you all should be aswell. He is no longer our problem and I bid for it to stay that way. Belay that." The crab leaned back onto his leg supports, a hidden darkness burning away in his eyes. The other monster in the room had never seen their boss to be this serious and this out of character. Waternoose turned tail and headed out of the room, his claws clicking incessantly against the floor. All the three monsters could do was stare transfixed.

**CHAPTER NOT COMPLETE : **(thought I'd update it by scenes as I go now so you won't have to keep waiting :))


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